hack Guardian, Segment 3: Interlude Memory's Rain
by Emerald-Sekai
Summary: Part 3 of 4. AIDA's influence continues to spread, and more and more players fall to the darkness. Haruko must push himself further and further to defeat the remaining Disciples... but will his mind be able to survive this war?
1. Adam and AIDA

Author's Notes: So, who missed me? :) Sorry I ended up taking such a long break, but I've been having an actually busy summer for once. Anyway, I present at last part 3 of my ridiculously long story, .hack/Guardian.

...God, I hate the formatting restrictions on this site, though. 255 characters really isn't enough to sum up a 150+ page file.

Anyway, this is going to pick up right where Segment 2 left off, jump right into the AIDA Server incident, and then off from there. Fair warning, though, there's another extended real-world sequence. I'll give warning when we reach it, so those of you who want to can skip it (nothing in there but character development anyway). Once that's over, it'll go back to the usual pattern of flipping back and forth but giving ample time to each. Well, regardless, enjoy!

.hack/Guardian

File Segment 3: Interlude of Memory's Rain

Time: 2017/8, coterminous with .hack/GU vol.2: Reminisce

Haruko paced impatiently outside of Raven's Home. "Atoli…" he muttered fervently. For about the dozenth time, his mind ran back over the events of the past hour. For a long time, he had waited at Morrigu Barrow for Haseo and the others to return from the other side of the sealed Tri-Edge sign. Then Kuhn, in full Magus form, had burst out of the wall, carrying an unconscious Atoli.

"Atoli!" he yelled. "Kuhn, what happened to her?"

Kuhn shook his head. "We beat Tri-Edge, but then another AIDA showed up and attacked Atoli. Haseo saw it and tried to stop her, but she was too far away."

Without even thinking about it, Haruko split himself into Hikari and Yami. Hikari took one look at Atoli and immediately summoned Archos. "All right. Let's get her to a safe place," she said, laying one hand on Atoli's brow.

Kuhn blinked at Archos, and then shook his head violently. "You're right… let's hurry." The two Avatars warped out, carrying Atoli between them. With nothing around to hurt or kill, Yami howled in frustration and followed them.

At Raven, Kuhn had dispelled his Avatar and carried Atoli inside. Hikari tried to follow, but without a Guild Key, she could not enter. She sighed, and reunited with Yami. Haruko had been pacing outside the guild ever since.

Just then, Kuhn emerged, looking haggard. "Hey, Haruko. Have you been waiting out here this whole time?" Haruko nodded wordlessly, and Kuhn sighed. "Sorry. I should have given you a Guild Key. Atoli's… well, she's not all right, but she'll be okay for now."

Haruko nodded. "I'm not at all sure what you're talking about, but I'll trust you."

Kuhn sighed. "And now there are bigger problems. First of all, do you know about Atoli's abilities?"

Haruko blinked. "You mean that she's an unawakened Epitaph User? Yes, I know about that. She's seen my Avatar once or twice before."

Kuhn shook his head. "That AIDA that attacked her stole her Morganna Factor- the very thing that makes her an Epitaph User. And ever since then… but haven't you noticed already?"

Haruko clenched his fist so hard that his nails cut his skin. "Either start making sense, Kuhn, or…" He broke off. "That… hurt." He stared at the slightly bleeding cut in his hand. "I can feel it… No way. That shouldn't be possible…"

Kuhn nodded. "You see it too, huh? Everyone has been pulled into the game itself."

Haruko's eyes flew wide. "If that's the case…" He pulled out his staff. "I've got to contact everyone, at once!" Kuhn stared blankly. Haruko huffed. "If we're really inside the game right now… what happens if our character gets killed?"

Kuhn's eyes widened. "You mean…"

Haruko nodded grimly. "We could potentially all end up as Lost Ones if this continues. I'm going to call in my guildmates and try to keep some order. Zelkova-sama will likely help out too- our guilds have been allied since the beginning." His hands flew frantically about as he sent out a deluge of short mail to everyone he could reach.

Kuhn nodded. "All right. I'll go try and gather some information, like Yata told us to. The faster we figure this out…"

Haruko gave him a thumbs-up. "The less chance of anyone getting PKed. Go ahead, and good luck." He paused. "Oh, and keep an eye on Atoli for me, okay? I'm still worried about her." He charged to the warp point and teleported to Central District.

Immediately, he noticed a large group of fearful players surrounding a blue-suited C.C. Corp executive. "Hey, what's going on?" one yelled.

"Why can't we log out?"  
"Are we really inside the game?"  
"Do something! You're with C.C. Corp, aren't you?"

Haruko rolled his eyes and stepped forward. He cleared his throat. "Everyone, relax. A nasty virus has gotten into the game and… well, since I don't know any technical-sounding terms, I'll just go with 'screwed everything up'. C.C. Corp has a team of debuggers inside the game working on the problem right now, in collaboration with some players that have had prior experience with this entity."

An angry-looking Twin Blade spun to face him. "I don't believe you. What kind of virus could pull us into the game?"

Haruko shrugged. "I don't know how it could possibly do this either. But the important thing is to keep calm. A good friend of mine is one of the C.C. Corp people working on the problem. Like I said, just stay calm and wait, and things will return to normal soon enough."

The same Twin Blade snorted. "Yeah, right. I've heard of you. You're that kid Haruko who's been around since before the incident seven years ago."

Haruko sighed. "There has never been any proof that the Yokohama incident was related to 'The World' in any way." His eyes sharpened. "And you are?"

"Petabyte," his opponent snorted. "And I'd say what's happening now is pretty conclusive. Besides, everyone knows that the official C.C. Corp line is bullshit."

Haruko's eyes narrowed. "Regardless… Petabyte-san… I was indeed there. In fact I was loosely involved in the efforts to contain the incident. I can promise you all that this can be reversed, and that no harm will come to you as long as you don't panic and do something stupid."

"Something stupid like what?" piped up a blue-robed Harvest Cleric.

Haruko shook his head. "PKing, for a start. We honestly have no idea what the result would be. Best-case scenario, you're kicked out of the game and wake up in front of your computer, completely fine. Nice, but ludicrously unlikely. Much more likely is the worst-case scenario: your real-life self winds up in a coma."

The crowd fell to muttering among themselves. "Don't worry," Haruko continued. "Both my guild, the Twilight Guardians, and Zelkova-sama's Moon Tree will be patrolling around the fields and Mac Anu, and keeping order. If you're attacked or see someone attacked, just contact anyone you know in either guild and we'll be right there."

Petabyte snorted. "Moon Tree? Oh, please. I'd rather die than be saved by those hippies."

A tic appeared in Haruko's forehead. "Shall I arrange that for you right now, Petabyte-san?" he said in a dangerous voice.

Petabyte took a step back. "O-of course not. Sorry."

Haruko nodded. "Good. Normally I'm a pretty forgiving guy, but right now I'm a bit edgy with everything that's going on. So I wouldn't recommend pushing me."

A blond-haired Macabre Dancer raised her hand. "Yes?" Haruko said kindly, noticing her.

She blushed. "How can you be so sure that it can be reversed, though? I mean…"

Haruko smiled calmly. "It's all right. I knew a person once who was pulled into the game for a long while, but in the end his friends managed to rescue him. It may take some time, but eventually we'll get you all out of here, all right? Just stay calm, stay in Mac Anu so you don't become a target for Kestrel, and wait for the professionals to fix everything. Don't worry. We'll get you all out safely."

Amid a small amount of mutterings, the crowd dispersed. The executive shook his head and sighed. "Phew. Thanks. I honestly don't have a clue what's going on here, though."

Haruko grinned. "That's okay. Almost nobody does. But I'd expect a better greeting than that… Oniisan."

The executive's eyes bugged out. "Michael? Is that really you?"

Haruko grinned. "It's 'Haruko' when we're in the game, Adam-niisan. And I'm 'Sora' now, remember?"

Adam shook his head. "Don't go trying to be a hero, Michael. I appreciate you getting everyone off of my back, but this is a really dangerous situation."

Haruko shrugged, ignoring the fact that Adam was still calling him 'Michael'. "So? All that means is that I definitely can't stay out of this. I can't leave others in danger- you know that, Oniisan."

Adam frowned. "So, what illegal powers have you picked up this time?"

Haruko grinned. "Only the best," he said, holding aloft his right hand- and the Twilight Bracelet clamped onto it.

Adam grimaced. "You idiot. Running around like that… you'll get yourself deleted, and shame yourself and the entire family into the bargain! Do you have any idea how hard I've worked to get as high in C.C. Corp as I have? And you're going to make all that a waste, just so you can have fun playing at being a hero!"

Haruko glared. "Play? I'm trying to protect everyone from a dangerous virus, and you're worried about your job?"

Adam glared right back. "This is a _game_, Michael! You have to play it by the rules, and you can't take it so seriously!"

Haruko turned his back to Adam. "Tell that to Shino-chan, and Mirage-kun, and everyone else that's in a coma right now because of this thing." He slapped the warp point and vanished.

"Michael!" Adam shouted after him. He swore. "You idiot… If you keep going like this, you're going to make the same mistakes Kite made!"

"Kite didn't make any mistakes. It was C.C. Corp that made the mistake."

Adam spun around. His eyes narrowed. "Helio. I should have guessed you'd be mixed up in this too."

Helio glared at him. "Your little brother is putting his very life on the line every day, for you and for everyone else. How can you possibly feel ashamed of him?"

Adam snorted. "Stop being so melodramatic! He's not putting anything on the line. All he's doing is throwing the entire system out of whack, and putting everyone at risk!"

Helio's eyes flared. "You really are a fool. I can't count the number of times I've come into his room and found him collapsed at the console, exhausted from fighting this thing. He's always recovered afterwards, but there's never a guarantee he'll wake up the next time."

Adam rolled his eyes. "That's because the little shut-in spends far too much time online. You come in and find him asleep at the controls- and no surprise, when you consider what a net-addict he is."

A short, bronzed blade suddenly entered his field of vision as someone grabbed him from behind. "Don't be stupid. Your kid brother's no net-addict. He gets pretty straight B's in school, and he nearly beat _me_ in skiing. No way could a net-addicted kid pull that off."

Helio smiled. "Ah, Alkaid. Or should I say Chika-san?"

Alkaid grinned. "Call me what you like, Hiruma-san. Is Haruko really that dense, though, that he couldn't recognize me?"

Adam slipped out of her grip and spun around. "You'd love for there to be something strange going on, wouldn't you, Former Emperor Alkaid? That way, Endrance might really have been cheating in his match against you."

Helio shook his head. "Don't talk about that which you have no concept of, Adam. Endrance was indeed cheating- using a skill that, like Haruko's, should never be used against a player."

Alkaid glared at Adam. "There's no way you can be Haruko's brother. He may be an idiot, but he's still a good guy, and it only makes him more fun to be around. But you… you're being deliberately stupid, and it just ticks me off."

Adam snorted, and spun on his heel. "Whatever. It doesn't matter to me what dregs like you two think of me."

He stopped suddenly, gasping as a blade swung up to his left ear. Haruko glared at him, having just warped back. "I leave for five minutes to plan with Zelkova-sama, and you're already insulting my friends? Are you so eager to test out my theory about PKing under these conditions?"

Adam stood stock-still, gulping like a fish as Haruko held the blade gently to his neck. "Don't insult my friends like that again, Adam." Adam flinched at the sudden, disrespectful form of address. "I will not tolerate it." Haruko held the blade to his brother's throat for a moment longer, and then withdrew it. He spun on his heel. "Helio-kun, Alkaid-chan. Could you come with me for a while?" He stormed off towards the Mac Anu Dome. Alkaid and Helio glanced at each other, nodded, and then followed him.

Behind him, Adam shuddered and slumped down on his knees. "What… what was that? Was that really Michael?" He shook himself. "If he's set himself against C.C. Corp, then I'll oppose him with everything I've got. If he wants deletion, he'll get it."

At the Dome, Haruko slumped down and sighed. "I'm a wreck… I wish Atoli was here. She could always calm me down, even if Sakaki-san was around."

Helio put a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to keep doing so much, Haruko. You're going to snap if you keep this up. And after what happened to Shizuka-san…"

Alkaid shook her head. "I don't get it. But I do get that you're really giving your all to help everyone out. And I really respect you for that. But you need to give yourself a break once in a while, okay? Sticking out your neck too much is really bad for you."

Haruko grinned. "Someone's got to do it, though. And so long as it doesn't affect my schoolwork, who cares?"

Helio sighed. "Well, your sensei might care a bit. And as we both know, 'caring' for him generally involves getting hit over the head with a shinai."

Alkaid blinked. "Kendo? So, you can ski really well _and_ beat the crap out of people with bamboo sticks. Nice. You're pretty athletic, ne?"

Haruko raised an eyebrow. "Who told you I ski? I don't remember saying anything about it."

Without missing a beat, Alkaid replied, "Akiko. While you were in Hokkaido a little while back, I asked him where you were, and he told me."

Haruko nodded. "Makes sense. Say… you're from Sapporo, right? I was down in Niseko back then. You ever been there?"

Alkaid raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes," she said, guardedly.

Haruko leaned back against the Chaos Gate and smiled. "There was this girl I ran into there, named Kuramoto Chika. Do you know her?"

Alkaid rolled her eyes, but Haruko didn't notice. "The name sounds familiar, all right. What's she like?" In the background, Helio chuckled.

Oblivious, Haruko shrugged. "Well… she's an amazing skier, for starters. We skied all day, and I never once managed to beat her. She's a nice girl. Cute, too." He blinked. "Come to think of it, her face is a lot like yours, except that she's got brown hair, and it's longer."

Alkaid grinned, one eyebrow raised. "Weird. But then again, you get a lot of deja vu in online games like this." _Man, he's dense. Maybe I should just tell him, just so I can see the look on his face._

Haruko scratched his head. "I guess. I still feel like I've met her somewhere before, though." He stood up wearily. "Well, I'd better go check the fields and make sure Kestrel isn't harassing…" He broke off. "Short mail… Mayako-san?" He frowned. "She's in trouble. Helio-kun, Alkaid-chan… will you help me out?"

Alkaid grinned. "Sure. I'd love to get in on some action."

Helio shrugged. "Of course. But Alkaid, remember, don't PK the enemy if you can help it. There's a chance they'd end up in a coma if you did that."

Alkaid saluted. "Roger that! Let's go, Haruko!"

Haruko grinned. "All right. On to ∆Hidden Forbidden Dead Wood!"

Helio frowned. "A Lost Ground? Are you sure you've got the area word right?"

Haruko nodded. "Technically, Indieglut Lugh is combat-capable. We fought Cerunnos there, remember?"

Alkaid nodded. "Right. Thanks again for inviting me along for that Abyss Quest, by the way."

Haruko grinned and raised his staff. "Any time, Alkaid-chan. You're my friend, remember?" The three vanished in a whirl of blue light.


	2. Shining Blade

As Haruko appeared in Indieglut Lugh, Mayako dashed up and clung to him. "Thank goodness you're here! Please, help me!"

Haruko gently detached himself from her grip. "It's all right, Mayako-san. We'll protect you. But first, what happened?"

Mayako blushed and clutched her arms to her chest. "I came down here… just to relax, and try and get some ideas for my next picture." She paused. "I'm an artist- maybe you've seen some of my pieces on the Apkallu board?"

Haruko grinned. "Yeah. Say… That's the 'little project' you were telling me about, wasn't it? I'm looking forward to seeing it."

Mayako nodded. "Yes, that's right. I forgot, in all the excitement… anyway, this strange player came up to me, and started talking about someone named Morgana. I didn't understand what he was saying, but then he said something about a sacrifice, and then attacked me!" She paused. "I've never seen a character design like that before. It was covered in scales, and he had a big shield strapped to his arm."

Haruko's eyes widened. "So, another one of _them_ has appeared, eh? Mayako-san, you'd better get out of here. The same virus that trapped everyone here can also take over a player's character and give him powers that go far beyond the game. He's not someone a normal player could handle."

Mayako shook her head. "I would, but somehow he disabled the platform."

A cruel laugh echoed around the cavern. "Indeed I have. There is no safe haven for the ones chosen as sacrifices for Lady Morganna."

Haruko's eyes narrowed. "So, you finally show yourself… Disciple of Water."

An armored, malevolent-looking PC approached them. "Indeed, Haruko, friend of Aura. I am Aquarios of the White Wave, and by order of Lady Morganna, I'll kill you!"

As the enemy approached, Mayako's description appeared more and more apt. Aquarios' bare arms were covered in scales, and his bare feet were webbed. Stringy green hair flowed over his head and down to his shoulders. Haruko snorted. "Another Xth Form… not that I'm surprised. What are you, a mer-knight or something?"

Aquarios shrugged. "A Fishman Warrior, actually, but I didn't expect you to know." He raised his weapon, a wicked-looking trident. "Now then, let's go!"

Haruko caught the trident on his blade and held Aquarios back. "Helio-kun! Take Mayako-san and keep her safe!"

Aquarios laughed and swung his shield around, striking Haruko hard in the side. "You won't beat me by fighting like that, Haruko!" he shouted gleefully.

A whirlwind of red hair and bronze blades crashed into him. Aquarios yelped and flew backwards as Alkaid whirled to a stop. "You're the one who can't win, fish-breath!" she taunted.

Haruko grinned. "Good hit, but be careful, Alkaid-chan. Like I said, he's not an ordinary player."

Alkaid nodded grimly. "Like Endrance, right?"

Haruko shook his head. "Worse than that. Endrance-san was all but completely controlled by the virus in him. And it didn't help that that virus took the form of someone very dear to him, someone he lost a long time ago. But Aquarios is still in total control. He's doing this because _he_ chooses to."

Alkaid nodded. "So, infinitely more dangerous than Endrance. Got it." She swung up her twin blades and locked Aquarios' trident. "Still, he's no match for us, ne?"

Haruko grinned and whipped out his staff. "Lei Zas!" he shouted, blasting an orb of light energy at Aquarios.

Aquarios snorted and caught the ball on his shield, and then forced Alkaid back and cut into her. Haruko's eyes flew wide. "Alkaid-chan!" he shouted.

Alkaid got to her feet, grimacing. "Ow… that actually hurt. You punk… I'm going to make you pay for that!" She charged forward again, blades whirling.

From the other side, Haruko charged as well, katana out and blazing. Aquarios blocked Alkaid with his trident and Haruko with his shield. Both of them caught each other's eye and grinned. Raising their hands, they shouted in unison. "Zan Rom!" Aquarios was caught in a double whirlwind that made the cavern roof rain down dust on their heads.

Aquarios swore loudly, but even as he made to block, Alkaid slipped past his guard and placed a trio of devastating hits to his torso. He staggered back and hissed, then turned and ran down the tunnel with Haruko and Alkaid in hot pursuit.

At the shore of the sunken lake, Aquarios paused and gazed upon the black water, and the shining white tree that rose from the center of it. "The mighty tree that blocks the rise of the Lord of the Dead," he mused. "What would happen if it were to be destroyed?"

Alkaid shrugged. "Nothing. The game's not equipped to handle something like that happening. Besides, it can't happen in the first place."

Haruko rolled his eyes. "And even if you could, you will not. We're not going to let you."

Aquarios smiled peacefully. "Perhaps. In any case, though, I'm in my element now." His smile became suddenly malicious. "You have no chance now! You were fools to follow me!" He took a running start and dived into the black lake.

Haruko frowned. "Not good. If he's become a fish-man, then he'll be a lot more powerful down there. Not to mention, we can't pursue him because our characters can't even so much as swim."

Alkaid shrugged. "So what? He has to come up to attack us anyway. Let's just leave."

Haruko shook his head. "The platform isn't working, remember? We're stuck here until we beat Aquarios." He ground his teeth. "Damn… we don't have time for this!"

Alkaid blinked. "Swearing? That's not like you, Haruko."

Haruko sighed and shook his head. "No, it's not, but I'm really on edge right now. The whole server's been pulled into the game, everyone that I know and everyone I don't is in danger of their lives, and something's wrong with Atoli, only nobody who's seen her is willing to tell me anything. And now we're stuck here playing games with a filthy punk like Aquarios! It makes me crazy!"

Alkaid nodded. "All right, then. Let's go slaughter that guy so you can get back to the real problem!"

Haruko sighed. "Right. Thanks, Alkaid-chan. Anyway, Akiko-kun already knows what's going on- Helio-kun will have told him already- so he'll take charge of keeping order in Mac Anu." He smiled grimly. "Which leaves us to take care of this punk here. Ready, Alkaid-chan?"

Alkaid smiled. "Yeah. Let's go, Haruko! This guy's nuts if he thinks he can take out two Emperors at once!"

A loud splash echoed through the cave, and an enormous plume of water leapt up from the lake's center. "Two Emperors at once, eh? Lady Morgana will be very pleased with this offering, then. Perhaps now I'll finally be able to take over leadership of the Disciples from that pathetic Pyrrhia."

A second, smaller splash appeared in the side of the plume. Alkaid caught sight of it and gasped. _No time. Oh man, I really hope I don't regret this later…_ She darted in front of Haruko and threw her arms out wide to shield him.

That way, when Aquarios' trident flew straight at Haruko an instant later, Alkaid was already there to intercept it. The three-pronged blade sunk deep into her body, and she gasped and fell to her knees. "Man… that _really_ hurts," she muttered.

Haruko was at her side in an instant. "Alkaid-chan!" he shouted, his face a rictus of horror. Gently, he took hold of the trident and slid it out of her.

Alkaid laughed softly. "Don't… worry about it. Even if I black out for a minute… it's just pain. I'm not going to die from this."

From the back of the cave came Mayako's voice, clear and strong. "That's right. I won't let you die." She ran up to Alkaid's side, her staff raised. "Pha Repth!" she called out.

Alkaid winced as the energy flowed through her, and then sighed. "That's better. I… need a minute, though. Can you… handle him on your own?" Her eyes closed gently.

Haruko nodded, his face shifting from pure terror to pure rage. "Yeah. No problem."

Aquarios let out a loud, mocking laugh. "You? Defeat me? Surely you jest, Haruko of the Emerald Winds!" He swept his arms outward, and the water swirling around him exploded into a thousand slender shards. "Hyo-rasen! Ice Spiral!"

Haruko snorted, and picked up the discarded trident. "Only an idiot names his attacks, Aquarios." With almost inhuman speed, he whirled the trident around in a wide spiral, knocking away all the darts aimed at them. The darts deflected, he ground his teeth and squeezed the trident hard. It glowed golden and then shattered like glass.

Aquarios stared. "I-impossible!" he shouted. He landed gently on the surface of the lake and stood on it. As he landed, he thrust out his right arm, and a heavy glaive materialized in his hand. Black dots played around it, forming nonsense patterns in the air.

Haruko raised his own right hand. Scintillating golden energy surrounded the Twilight Bracelet, and then surged outward in the shape of a broadsword. He smiled grimly. "The ability of 'deletion'- Data Blade! I should thank you, really. I would never have learned this power if you hadn't pushed me so far. Allow me to show my gratitude- by killing you!" He howled the last part and charged forward, running effortlessly along the lake's surface.

Aquarios laughed maliciously and met him head-on. The black glaive and golden blade clashed off of each other at speeds that blurred both weapons. Mayako looked on in awe. "Is this… the power that the dot hackers were rumored to have?"

"No," replied Helio, as he walked up. "This is the power that the dot hackers had to face. But only one of them ever held the power that Haruko now wields."

Mayako shuddered. "I'd hate to be fighting him right now. He's scary."

Helio nodded. "It's not like him to be like this. It's as if he's cast off every scrap of his kindness, and become a demon of vengeance…" _What's happening to you, Sora-kun? Where's the kind-hearted idiot I've known for years?_

Mayako blinked. "You're pretty poetically minded, Helio. Do you write in real life?"

Helio smiled. "No. Actually, I'm a college student, like Haruko. I'm a medical student, not a writer."

Mayako touched her knuckle to her lip, deep in thought. "College, huh?" she muttered. She stood up suddenly. "Haruko! Don't kill him! You're not like that, I know it!"

Out on the water, Haruko leapt high in the air, and then crashed down, his blade striking Aquarios' glaive just below the blade. "Ryutsuisen!" he cried out.

Helio slapped his forehead. "That idiot…" he muttered, and then laughed.

Aquarios blinked. "I thought you said that only idiots named their attacks?"

Haruko grinned crazily. The usual twinkle returned to his eye. "Yes, but you see, I _am_ an idiot, so it's perfectly fine for me to do so." He put more of his weight behind the sword, and suddenly the glaive snapped in two. Aquarios gaped. Haruko swept the blade up to his throat. "Give it up, Aquarios. Just let everyone go."

Aquarios smirked. With a quick motion, he dodged to his left, seized the broken-off blade of his glaive, and flung it at Mayako. "No. I've got sacrifices to make."

Helio saw it coming and pulled Mayako out of the way with a flying tackle. The blade flew right past them, but grazed Helio's shoulder. He grunted in pain as he landed.

For Haruko, it was the last straw. He raised his blade high. Aquarios caught the look and ducked behind his shield. "Now… take this, you bastard!" Haruko howled, and launched himself at Aquarios. The blade bit deep into the heavy shield, and cut through it like rice paper. With a bright flash, the cloven shield exploded outward.

Aquarios staggered back, clutching his arm where the explosion had left a deep gash. "How… how is this possible?" he gasped.

Haruko sneered and raised his blade. A cold light shone in his eyes, replacing the usual twinkle. "Disappear," he said softly. "Beg for mercy and never attack anyone else in this place again. Do so, and I will spare your life." His blade fizzled slightly.

Aquarios smirked. "Showing mercy to the enemy? I don't think you have what it takes to kill me, Haruko." He spread his arms. "Come on, then! Kill me, if you can!"

Haruko sneered. "If that's what you wish, then I will gladly give it to you." He leapt high into the air. "Die!"

On the shore, Alkaid stirred and opened her eyes. The first thing that she saw was Haruko flying towards Aquarios. Her eyes flew wide open. "No, Haruko! Don't do it!" she shouted.

Haruko turned in mid-flight, the insane look instantly gone from his eyes. "Alkaid-chan?" he said. The Data Blade flickered and vanished. Haruko landed behind Aquarios and spun around. "Alkaid-chan!" he shouted, relieved. "You're okay!" Even across the water, the others could see his eyes sparkling.

Alkaid grinned weakly and gave him a thumbs-up. "Of course. I told you a wussy attack like that wouldn't kill me."

Aquarios shook his head. "Very well, then. I will retreat for now. It is clear that I cannot defeat you like this." He grinned. "But it is equally clear that you do not possess the resolve to kill someone."

Haruko smiled. "Of course not. I'm nothing like you, Aquarios. Even if I fall to the brink of madness, I have friends who will always pull me back."

Aquarios smiled sadly. "Friends…" he mused. Black dots ran across the surface of the water below him, and he sank rapidly into them.

Haruko sighed and dashed across the water to Alkaid's side. "What happened to 'sticking out your neck too much is bad for you'? You idiot…"

Alkaid laughed. "You're calling _me_ an idiot, idiot?" She got unsteadily to her feet. "All right, let's see if we can get out of here." She walked towards the platform.

Haruko caught up to her. "Careful. We're still in the game, remember."

Alkaid nodded. "Right. And who knows if Aquarios is really- ah!"

She stumbled and fell. Haruko darted forward and caught her. She sighed. "Whew. Thanks, Haruko." She smiled up at him. "You're pretty handy to have around. And pretty handsome up close, too."

Haruko blushed. "R-right. Thanks."

Alkaid laughed. "What's this? You've called me cute more times than I can count, but I call you handsome once and you turn redder than your hair? What's up?"

Haruko shrugged as he helped Alkaid back to her feet. "Honestly? I have no idea. I just feel kind of weird sometimes, around you." He shook his head and rushed off towards the platform. "It's nothing. Forget I said it. Let's get out of here, before Aquarios decides to try and finish the job." Mayako dashed forward, trying desperately to keep up.

Behind his back, Alkaid rolled her eyes. "Does he really not realize it?" she asked Helio.

Helio smiled and shook his head. "Go easy on him. He's an idiot, remember."

Alkaid shrugged. "I don't get it. What about that Shizuka girl? Isn't she his girlfriend?" She paused. "What happened to her, anyway? You mentioned that something had happened to her…"

Helio sighed. "She's in the hospital, after being badly beaten. Sora-kun is still torn up about it- especially since the one who did it was a close friend of both of them."

Alkaid's eyes went wide. "The hospital… geez. But, I mean… he loves her too, doesn't he? How do Shizuka-san and I fit into all this?"

Helio sighed. "I don't pretend to understand Sora-kun's heart. But at his core, he is a very loving person." He smiled. "I'm not sure he has a full understanding of his own heart either. He doesn't have much experience there- Shizuka-san has only been his girlfriend for a few weeks."

Alkaid laughed. "Girlfriend, huh? Can't say I've had much experience either… I can certainly give it a try, though."

Helio's eyes narrowed. "Tread carefully. Sora-kun is my best friend in real life as well, and if you break his heart I won't forgive you."

Alkaid nodded. "I was being serious. But I'm still not telling him that I'm really Chika. He's going to have to figure that out on his own."

Helio chuckled. "If he can, anyway. As I said, he _is_ an idiot."

Alkaid grinned happily. "That he certainly is. But after all, that's part of his charm, isn't it?" The two nodded, and ran to catch up to Haruko and Mayako.

Back at Mac Anu, Haruko was immediately accosted by a group of faceless knights in yellow armor. He gave the bristling spears a cursory glance and sighed, his face impassive. "New year, new fashion. Isn't New Year's a few weeks off, though?"

One knight poked his spear at him. "Shut up, irregular. Do not insult the Goldenrod Knights!"

Haruko sighed, and tipped the spear aside with one finger. "First of all, Goldenrod? You have _got_ to be kidding me. Second, if you think I'm afraid because you brought five knights to take down one player, then you've forgotten one crucial fact." He spread his hands and grinned. "I'm Haruko of the Emerald Winds, savvy?"

"Pirates of the Caribbean. Nice reference, although hopelessly outdated." Two knights stood back to allow Kamui to pass between them. "But you see, I wasn't there when you took down my battalion three years ago. In fact, if I recall correctly, you freely acknowledge that I would have crushed you if I hadn't been busy on that stupid Shanghai trip."

Haruko rolled his eyes. "So? I imagine all this is because my idiot Oniisan is making waves again? Has he told you about my theory?"

Adam approached, smirking. "Yes, indeed I have. In other words, there's no way you'll PK any of the people gathered here right now. Whereas I have no qualms about PKing you. It would be best, in fact, if you spent the remaining duration of this unpleasant incident in a coma. After all, we know you'll come out at the end."

Haruko snorted. "Assuming there is an end without me. For the past five months, thanks to our actions, the only comatose players have been members of the Twilight Guardians- and there were only two such casualties. But without me, we will no longer possess the capability to destroy AIDA, and from there it follows that players will become comatose in droves. The G.U. members are powerful, but there are only four of them. So you see, I will gladly raise my blade here if it means that I can continue protecting this place."

Kamui lowered her spear and approached him. "You fool." She slapped him hard across the face. "All you're doing is destabilizing things further! That's all your kind has ever done!"

Haruko didn't flinch at the slap. "My 'kind'? I would be infinitely proud if I could call myself a dot hacker, Kamui-san."

"Then go ahead and do so. You've earned that right a dozen times over." Helio walked up calmly to the group. "And don't dare raise a hand against him again, Kamui. He's done more for this world than anyone in your little Daisy Brigade."

A muscle twitched in Kamui's neck. "That's 'Goldenrod Knights'!" she shouted.

Haruko took advantage of the momentary distraction and ripped Kamui's spear out of her grasp. "Again… that is a really stupid name. Who came up with that, your mom?" He grinned teasingly.

Kamui spun around. "My Spear of Voltan… give that back! And don't you dare insult my family, you filthy _gaijin_!"

Haruko's smile evaporated. "Fine. I was only kidding, but if that's how you want it, then no more playing around." He raised the spear. "Your treasure… right? Let's see how well you fare when someone deletes something precious to you."

Kamui stared in disbelief. "You… wouldn't!"

A blur shot by her and whacked Haruko over the head. "He'd better not!" shouted Alkaid.

Haruko blinked, dazed from the sudden blow. "Alkaid-chan? Wha happen?"

Alkaid glared at him. "Are you stupid or something? You're about to confirm every single bad thought these idiots have ever had about you."

Haruko stepped to one side of her and glared at Kamui. "She called me a _gaijin_. I'm not. I've worked hard for years to earn the right to no longer be an outsider in Japan." He looked back at Alkaid. "Only Zefie-chan is allowed to call me a _gaijin_. Anyone else is asking for a serious beatdown."

Alkaid grinned. "So give it to her, then. Don't delete her weapon. Only a punk American would do something like that, ne?"

Haruko blinked, grinned, and tossed the spear gently back to Kamui. "Good point, Alkaid-chan. And thanks. I almost did something that would have been stupid even for me."

Alkaid laughed. "Any time, you big idiot."

Mayako ran up. "Wait, everyone! Something's happening!"

Haruko stared up at the dome. "What the…" he muttered. A wide circle appeared in the sky, with many other circles bubbling off of it.

Kamui stared. "The operations folder? Who could access that?"

Haruko snorted. "Yata-sama is an administrator too, Kamui-san. I'm sure he would know about something like… whatever you just said." He grinned. "Looks like this nightmare is about to end."

A wave of power swept throughout Mac Anu. Every player it touched disintegrated into a stream of data and vanished.

A moment later, everyone appeared once again in Mac Anu. Mayako blinked and looked around. "I- I'm back!"

Haruko blinked, and raised his hand, twisting it in the light. He touched the side of his head. "She's right! We're not in the game anymore!" He broke into a wide grin. "All right! Kuhn and the others did it!"

Kamui pointed her spear at him. "We're not finished here, Haruko!"

Haruko laughed. "Didn't you hear me, Kamui-san? We're not trapped in 'The World' anymore. In other words, if it comes to blows, I can defeat you without having to hold back." He raised his blade. "Well, if you insist, then come and get me- if you can!"

Alkaid grinned and slid out her twin blades. "Hey, save some for me, Haruko!"

Mayako nodded firmly. "Count me in, too. I can't do much damage, but I'll heal whatever damage you take!

Kamui grit her teeth. "Fine, then. We'll retreat for now. But you can expect consequences for your little rebellion!"

A calm, steady beat echoed through the square- approaching footsteps. Yata came into view as the five Goldenrod Knights parted to let him past. "Consequences, Kamui? As usual, Haruko has acted only to benefit 'The World'. His guildmates helped to keep the peace in Mac Anu, while collaborating with Moon Tree to control the Kestrel PKers. Meanwhile, Haruko himself confronted and repelled a dangerous AIDA user, and in the process saved this young girl from possibly being put into a coma." He motioned to Mayako. "In simple terms, Kamui, the only 'consequences' that Haruko faces are commendations for both him and his guild."

Kamui snorted. "You're commending that hacker? I just lost what little respect I had left for you, Yata." She spun on her heel. "Goldenrod Knights! Move out!"

The five knights saluted. "Ma'am!" Kamui huffed, and warped out along with her squad.

Haruko rolled his eyes. "Like I care what she thinks of me."

"Oniichan!" came a yell. Haruko's eyes lit up as he spun around to see Atoli running towards him. "Atoli!" he called. "Are you okay?"

As she approached, Haruko saw that her right arm was hanging limp beside her. Small white fragments trailed from it as she ran. Atoli followed his eyes and bowed her head. "I'm sorry. You were worried about me, all because I acted like an idiot."

Sakaki walked calmly up beside her. "You shouldn't run off like that, Atoli," he began.

Haruko waved a hand at him. "The crisis is over, Sakaki-san. I'm more worried about Atoli herself right now." He pointed. "What happened to your hand?"

Atoli looked down at it. "I… I don't really know. But shortly after Kuhn brought me to Raven, my character's hand cracked open. And now I can't move it."

Haruko gently took the damaged hand and examined it. He inhaled sharply. "This… And your hand's paralyzed in real life, too?" Unconsciously, his grip tightened. "I'm sorry… I should have been there. I should have stopped that filth from ever laying so much as a finger on you!"

Atoli shook her head firmly. "No. This is my fault, Oniichan. I went wandering off on my own, too far from the others. It's my own fault that nobody could get to me in time."

Haruko shook his head. "When you are praised, take only the credit due to you. Likewise, take only the blame that you truly own. Don't be greedy, Atoli."

Atoli sighed. "I know. But don't be greedy either, Oniichan. You have absolutely no blame in this."

Haruko punched the wall, hard. "I should have been there! How can I call you my sister and then let something keep me from protecting you? I…"

Atoli grabbed his arm. "You are not a failure as my Oniichan. Don't even think that. You did come to help me, after all."

Haruko blinked. "You saw…?"

Atoli nodded. "Yes. I saw what you did for me while Kuhn was bringing me back to Raven." Her eyes sharpened. "And Helio told me about what happened to Shizuka-san. You came for me, even though your girlfriend was in the hospital. Only a true brother would do that for someone."

Alkaid walked up to the two of them. "I still don't get what's going on, but if what happened to Atoli is anything like what Aquarios hit me with, I do know what it feels like."

Atoli blinked. "You…"

Haruko nodded. "Yeah. Some jerk called Aquarios threw a big trident at me, but I didn't see it coming. Alkaid-chan saw it, though, and she got in the way and blocked it."

Alkaid grinned weakly. "Yeah. It really stung, too. I'm going to log out and take a rest, okay? Atoli, you should too."

Atoli nodded. "Right. Thank you… for protecting my Oniichan."

Alkaid gave one last grin and vanished in a flurry of blue. Haruko sighed. "I'm going to take a rest, too. This has been a wild day. Atoli, don't hang around too long, okay?"

Atoli nodded, smiling. "Right. Have a good sleep, Oniichan."

Haruko grinned and raised his staff. "Ja, ne!" he called, and logged out.

Author's Notes: Looking back on this... I wonder if it would have been better as two chapters. Anyway, so there goes the AIDA server. Not much to say about this one, except that I do love Aquarios as a villain... for reasons that will become clear in time... and that I enjoyed a chance to bring Kamui back. She'll show up again later on, too... look forward to it! :)


	3. Beautiful Morning With You

The next day, Shizuka opened her eyes and blearily looked around. For a moment, she couldn't figure out where she was. Something seemed to be wrong with her left eye, too. She tried to raise her right arm, but it refused to move. Her left arm seemed okay, so she felt at her face with it, and found a bandage running around her head and over the eye. Puzzled, she pushed at it, until suddenly she felt it sink into a hollow space. She gasped, suddenly remembering.

_Amy-chan… that attack, yesterday… it wasn't a nightmare? And then…_ She looked up. _So-chan…_ Sora sat slumped in a chair, clearly asleep and snoring gently. _That's right… So-chan came and saved me._ She watched him for a while, as his head slowly rose and fell in time with his breathing. _Aww… he's so cute when he sleeps._ She giggled, and then yelped softly as the movement jiggled her broken arm.

Sora raised his head and opened his eyes. They were cloudy and dull at first, but a soft twinkle returned to them as he looked at her. "Hey… Shizuka…"

Shizuka smiled. "You weren't there all night, were you?"

Sora shook his head wearily. "No, just since this morning. Visiting hours, you know. How are you feeling?" He shook his head again. "No, stupid question. You probably feel even worse than I do."

Shizuka stared. "What are you talking about? You were the one who had to see me like that… and then fight Amy-chan, even though she's your friend…"

Sora's eyes sharpened. "All I had to do was see the aftermath. You're the one who had to live through what she did to you."

Shizuka lowered her eyes. "I see… Like always, you're blaming yourself for everything. You probably feel even worse than I look right now." She sighed and stared at her broken arm. "So, what's the damage report?"

Sora sighed. "Nothing permanent, in terms of looks anyway. All your limbs except your left arm are broken, but they'll heal properly. The bruising and scratches should go away soon, and that cut across your belly is healing already, without so much as a scar."

Shizuka giggled, wincing as her arm moved again. "Good. I was worried you wouldn't be able to use it as a pillow anymore."

Sora's eyes closed halfway. "One thing. Your damaged eye can be reconstructed perfectly- they've removed it for now, which is why there's a hole there- but…" He squeezed his eyes shut. "It's almost certain that you won't be able to see out of your left eye ever again."

Shizuka reached her left hand towards him. "So-chan…"

He shook his head violently. "No. I don't even deserve to be comforted right now." He began to sob. "I screwed up, Shizuka. You, Atoli, Alkaid-chan… they were all hurt yesterday because I was too weak to protect any of them."

Shizuka stretched her arm out further. "Don't say that, So-chan. You can't save everyone. You're not God, after all."

Sora clenched his fists, tears now running freely down his face. "Everyone's… always trying to protect me, and to comfort me… They shouldn't. I'm not worth it."

Shizuka's good eye blazed. She forced herself further out until she toppled over the side of the bed. Gritting her teeth at the pain as her broken legs hit the tile, she forced her way up to Sora, who shrank back, his eyes fearful and disbelieving. "Shizuka…" he gasped out.

Her eye blazing, Shizuka threw her left arm around Sora's neck, pulled him down to her, and kissed him fiercely. "I don't ever want to hear you say that again, So-chan," she said as she drew back. "You're a great man. For you, anything is worth it- even death." She began to cry as well. "What happened to you? Where's the brave, noble, loving, beautiful boy I fell in love with?"

Sora put his arms around her and lifted her up. "I'm sorry… Shizuka-chan. I guess I was never that person."

Shizuka hugged him tighter with her good arm. "Yes you are, and don't you dare start thinking you're not worthy to call me 'Shizuka'. I love you, So-chan. And I know you love me. So don't try and distance yourself. It won't work."

Sora shook his head. "In every single case… if I'd just been a little faster, or a little smarter, I would have been there in time, and then nobody would have gotten hurt. But I was slow, and stupid, and weak. I failed, Shizuka-chan."

Shizuka glared at him. "Then get up, and keep fighting! That's what you always do, no matter what, right?"

Sora looked away from her. "No. I'm done…"

Shizuka seized his hair and twisted his face back to her. "No, you're not. The So-chan I know would never say that!" She kissed him again. "If you need to rest, then rest, but never, ever give in! That's who you are!"

Sora laid his head on her shoulder. "Rest… that sounds nice…" He lifted her into his arms and carried her back towards the cot, careful not to jostle her arms and legs. "You first, though. You've been really badly hurt."

Shizuka laid one hand against his cheek. "So have you, So-chan. I don't understand it. I remember, last night. You did come and save me. You were brave, and strong, and you didn't let anything stop you. So what's different now? Why is your heart so torn apart?"

Sora laid her gently down. "Last night… I was able to shut out everything else and concentrate on protecting you. But now… what is there now to help me shut it out?"

Shizuka sat up gingerly. "Shut it out? Doing that for seven years is what left you sobbing for hours in Mariko-san's arms. You need to be comforted, not to try and bottle it all up again."

Sora pulled the chair up and sat near her. "I told you, I don't deserve comfort. Of course I won't stop fighting. But I have to fight alone. People keep getting hurt when they fight along with me. Especially the people I care about."

Shizuka put her arm around him again. "We don't mind it, though. We love you." She drew his head down to her chest and rested her chin on top of it.

Sora began to sob again. "Shizuka…"

Shizuka smiled. "There we go. Let it all flow away. I'm here now."

After a while, she smiled and tightened her arm a little bit, squashing him gently into her chest. She giggled. "I almost forgot how nice that feels."

Sora smiled up at her weakly. "It does feel nice, doesn't it?" He sighed happily and let her press his head further into her chest.

Shizuka giggled again. "There's my cute little So-chan." She slowly released him, and he sat up, yawning as he did. Shizuka blinked. "There you go again. What's up, So-chan? You look like you haven't slept in days."

Sora shook his head wearily. "I couldn't sleep at all last night. All alone… I'd forgotten what it was like. I couldn't sleep without you there beside me, Shizuka."

Shizuka giggled. "So, now I'm your girlfriend _and_ your security blanket, eh?"

Sora shrugged, grinning. "I guess so. Hope you don't mind."

Shizuka rolled her eyes. "So-chan, I regularly let you use my stomach as a pillow, enjoy squashing your face into my chest, and share a bed with you. Of course I don't mind."

"Ooh… Aneesan's been up to some interesting things!" Shizuka glanced up at the door and yelped. "T-Taro!"

A grinning young man stood framed in the doorway, blue eyes glinting. His hair was spiky and black, and an earring in the shape of a _manji_ hung from his right ear. Sora raised an eyebrow. "Just 'Taro', eh Shizuka? Have you been cheating on me?"

Taro laughed. "I'm her brother, idiot! Shinsetsu Taro! And I guess you must be Shizuka-neesan's idiot boyfriend, ne?"

"Now Taro, be nice." A plump, smiling woman entered the room, hazel eyes twinkling merrily. Her black hair was in a bun, and her face was jovial, though somewhat worn by middle age. She looked at Sora. "So, I finally get to meet the famous Kapalo-san."

Sora laughed. "Just 'Sora' is fine. And you must be Shizuka's mother, then?"

She nodded. "That's right. I'm Shinsetsu Yuki."

Shizuka looked up at her. "Is Dad coming?"

Yuki shook her head. "He was away on business when we heard. He's flying back as fast as he can, but he won't be here for some time."

Shizuka nodded. "Okay. So…" She cringed. "I won't bother asking how long you were listening. Judging from Taro's reaction, it was long enough."

Taro grinned maddeningly. "You're in for it now, sis! Such a depraved life you've been leading…"

Yuki laughed. "Don't be silly, Taro. Your sister's a young woman now, and she can do what she likes. Within reason, of course." She pretended to give Shizuka the evil eye.

Taro shrugged, and moved to stand opposite Sora. "Whatever." He grinned and bent down. "So… how is he?" he muttered softly.

Sora turned bright red, but Shizuka just giggled. "I wouldn't know. We haven't done it." She threw a glance at Sora and mouthed the word "yet".

Taro's eyes were as wide as saucers. "You're kidding me. You two sleep in the same bed and you still haven't done it?"

Shizuka grinned. "Well, no. Why would we? I mean, look at So-chan over there." She indicated the furiously blushing Sora. "Every time I talk about anything like that, he starts acting like that. It's actually pretty funny to tease him, though."

Taro shook his head. "Unbelievable. How could you fall for a guy like that, sis?"

Shizuka laughed. "Someone that irresistibly cute and innocent? How could I not?"

Yuki came to Shizuka's side, hugged her close, and kissed her cheek. "My poor, sweet little Shizuka… How are you feeling?"

Shizuka hugged her back with her free arm. "Getting better. So-chan says the doctors say I won't lose any of those good looks you gave me."

Yuki laughed. "Always cheerful, aren't you?"

Shizuka shrugged. "How can I not be? I've got my family here with me, and my wonderful boyfriend watching over me." She paused. "By the way, So-chan… I've heard an interesting rumor."

Sora blinked. "Rumor? What, did the doctors say something to you?"

Shizuka's eye glinted. "Yeah. They said you made them transfuse two whole pints of your blood into me."

Sora shrugged. "You needed it, and I could hold out until the blood they requisitioned arrived. You didn't look like you could."

Shizuka shook her head. "Even so… that was really reckless. Don't forget the promise you made me."

Sora nodded. "Of course not. But I won't let you die either, ever."

Shizuka's eye softened. "Don't blame yourself for all this, So-chan. You did all you could, and you did save me in the end."

Sora closed his eyes. "But your left eye…"

Shizuka shrugged. "Eh, depth perception is overrated anyway. And I won't look any different."

Yuki blinked. "Eye?"

Shizuka gulped. "Um…"

Sora sighed. "During the attack… Shizuka's left eye was damaged. The doctors say they can reconstruct it, but they had to remove it to do so. There's a chance that when they put it back in, the optic nerve will repair itself, but…" He shook his head. "It's likely she'll be permanently blind in that eye." He looked up, tears in his eyes. "I didn't manage to save all of you, Shizuka. I'm sorry…"

Yuki gasped, and hugged Shizuka tightly, sobbing loudly. Even Taro's usually smug face fell. "Sis…" he said softly.

Shizuka gazed steadily at Sora. "You did all you could. There's nothing for me to forgive." Yuki slumped into a chair, and Shizuka beckoned to Sora. "But if it will make you feel better…"

Sora slowly approached her, and let her hug him. "I can't be forgiven yet. I'm not…"

Shizuka glared. "Don't you say it! You're absolutely worth it! And you do deserve it!" She looked into his eyes. "There's light in them still… but they're not the beautiful eyes I remember. When will I see those quicksilver eyes of yours again?" she murmured.

Sora sighed. "When everyone stops getting themselves hurt on my account."

Shizuka buried her face in his chest and began to sob. "So-chan… I don't want to see you like this anymore. Akiko-chan, Hiruma-san, Renée-chan… everyone just wants to see you happy again." She stiffened as Sora hugged her back. "Please… just let me see those eyes of yours one more time, before you have to go away…"

Sora lifted her head gently and smiled. "Happy… All right. For you, I'll try, Shizuka." He reached out and gently wiped her tears away. "So don't cry, okay?"

Shizuka nodded. "Okay…" She smiled. "Well, we're going to have some work to do, aren't we? After all, you're going home to Hawaii tomorrow, right? I'll have to take drastic measures if I'm going to get you to be happy again before that." She fumbled around in her bag on the table beside her for a moment until she found her cellphone. "Let's see…"

Sora blinked. "Shizuka? What are you doing?"

Shizuka giggled. "Oh, just remembering…" She pulled up an image, as the others gathered around. "Here's a good one." She held it up, showing a picture of Sora being pulled at by Shizuka, An, and Mariko, his eyes swirling.

Sora blinked. "I remember that… that was the day we became boyfriend and girlfriend, right?"

Shizuka giggled. "Yep. Remember what came next?"

Sora yelped. "Ryo-san didn't send you _that_ picture, did he?"

Shizuka laughed, and pushed a button, revealing a picture of Sora being squashed between a smiling An and Mariko. "Oh, yes he did, So-chan."

Taro let out a laugh. "Oh man, you absolute dog, Sora-san!"

Yuki blinked. "I don't get it… you play like this with other girls, but you and Shizuka are still devoted to one another?"

Shizuka laughed. "Mom… I told you, he's sweet and innocent like that. An-san and Mariko-san know that because they're old friends of his, so they'll tease him like that." She giggled. "Besides, I did it first."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "Don't you mean, you were the first to intentionally do that? I seem to remember An-chan doing it by mistake." He smiled softly.

Shizuka giggled again. "Oh yeah… That's right. You were still in that wheelchair, so when she tried to tackle-hug you, she tripped, and…"

Taro whistled. "You're one weird guy, Sora-san. But I think I'm starting to see why Shizuka-neesan likes you."

Shizuka flipped through a few more pictures. "Let's see… oh! I forgot that Hiruma-san took this one." She held up the phone again, this time displaying a picture of two people fast asleep in a sleeping bag.

Sora gulped. "Um… are those who I think they are?"

Shizuka nodded, desperately trying to keep from laughing. "Uh-huh… that's us!"

Sora deflated. "Hiruma-kun… even my best friend's turned against me!" He stared at the picture. "Man, you're cute when you sleep…"

Shizuka punched at the phone again. "So are you, and I'll prove it!" She held it up triumphantly, another new picture on it.

Sora looked at it, curious. "That's… me?"

The figure on the screen lay on his back on a bed, his arms spread wide in a sort of sprawl. His chest was bare, and part of a curling tattoo could be seen on one shoulder.

Shizuka nodded. "Yep. That's my little So-chan."

Sora stared. The Sora on the screen was smiling peacefully, his mouth wide in a snore and a carefree look on his face. "Darn it… you're right. I _am_ cute when I'm asleep." He glanced up at her. "When did you take this?"

Shizuka scratched her head. "Let's see… I think it was last week, after you finished up with that kendo tournament of yours. You came back to our room and fell fast asleep…" She giggled. "You looked so cute, lying there, I couldn't help but take a picture."

Sora grinned. "What am I going to do with you, Shizuka?"

Shizuka smiled back. _Almost there. Now…_ She took the phone back and pressed a few buttons. _One more. Just one more, and I'll definitely get my So-chan back._ She looked carefully at each picture, and finally smiled. "Here. Remember, So-chan?"

Sora, Taro, and Yuki all crowded around the small screen. Sora chuckled. "Trust you to save a shot like that, Shizuka."

Yuki beamed. "Oh, you two… that's beautiful!"

Taro blinked. "Who the heck was holding the camera? And why would you let them take a shot like that?"

Sora laughed. "I remember that. But that was Shizuka's idea, not mine." He glanced at the screen, now showing a familiar picture of the two kissing. "That was the day that An-chan came by for a quick visit, right?"

Shizuka giggled. "Yeah. I threw her a glance, and the minute I did, she knew exactly what I was thinking."

Sora laughed again. "What was her excuse, again? That she thought it would stop Mariko-chan worrying about me?"

Shizuka nodded. Then she caught sight of Sora's face and let out a happy shriek. "That's it! Quicksilver eyes… So-chan, you're back!"

Sora's eyes sparkled merrily as he took her in his arms. "Yeah… I'm back."

Shizuka turned her face to his, smiling. "Welcome back," she said softly, and kissed him.

Yuki sighed happily. "So wonderful…"

Taro rolled his eyes. "I think I'm going to throw up…" He laughed. "Even so… Sora-san!" He winked and gave him a thumbs-up. "I officially accept you as a worthy boyfriend for my elder sister."

Sora opened one eye lazily and glanced at him for a moment. He smiled, closed his eye again, and returned to the kiss. Taro shrugged. "Well… looks like Aneesan's perfectly all right with this guy here. Come on, Mom. Let's head out."

Yuki nodded. "Shizuka… we'll be back later, all right?"

Shizuka broke the kiss and nodded. "Okay, Mom."

Sora sighed and held her close. "I still feel bad about leaving you alone here over winter break…"

Taro snorted. "Don't worry. We'll keep an eye on your girlfriend for you." He gave Sora a soft glare. "Just don't ever do anything to hurt her, okay? Or I'll be coming for you." He smiled. "But you wouldn't, in any case. Even a punk like me can see that much." He waved and left, closely followed by Yuki.

Author's Notes: Yeah... it's pretty dang mushy, I'll concede that. But it does set out some important points, such as the extent of Shizuka's injuries, and it introduces her family. And besides, something's about to break this lovely mood... (evil grin)


	4. Chains

Yuki nodded. "Shizuka… we'll be back later, all right?"

Shizuka broke the kiss and nodded. "Okay, Mom."

Sora sighed and held her close. "I still feel bad about leaving you alone here over winter break…"

Taro snorted. "Don't worry. We'll keep an eye on your girlfriend for you." He gave Sora a soft glare. "Just don't ever do anything to hurt her, okay? Or I'll be coming for you." He smiled. "But you wouldn't, in any case. Even a punk like me can see that much." He waved and left, closely followed by Yuki.

Sora and Shizuka simply held each other for a long while, happy simply to be with each other. Eventually, Sora drew back, sighing happily. "I missed you…"

Shizuka giggled. "It hasn't even been a full day, So-chan." She lay back in the cot.

Sora smiled. "I know. But even so…"

Shizuka laid her hand on his. "I know. Don't worry about me, okay? My family will take care of me, and I'll still be here when you come back. So make sure you enjoy yourself, okay?"

Sora nodded. "Of course. And I won't forget about all the happiness we've shared." He pouted. "But darn it… I've still got one more exam today…"

Shizuka giggled. "Ouch… well, good luck, So-chan!"

Sora nodded. "Yeah… It's biology, my major, so I shouldn't have too much trouble, but still… Anyway, I'd better go."

Shizuka nodded. "I'll see you when you get back from Hawaii. Say hi to everyone for me, okay?"

Sora grinned. "Of course." He turned to leave, but stopped at the door, and backed up fearfully. "It's… you!"

Amy entered the room, grinning wickedly. "That's right. Amy's back."

Shizuka yelped. "A-Amy-chan!"

Sora shook his head and glared. "No. Amy-chan hasn't been here for a while."

Amy blinked. "What are you talking about?" She moved slowly closer to Sora, shifting her body from side to side. "It's me, Amy. Not even someone as stupid as you could forget a body like this, right Sora-chan?"

Sora's glare darkened. "No. You're not Amy-chan. You're just everything dark in her heart, amplified to monstrous levels. You may use her body, but her mind isn't hers anymore." He chuckled softly. "Why do you think I was able to fight you before? The moment I saw your eyes, I knew."

Shizuka blanched. "So-chan… what…?"

Amy laughed darkly. "Silly boy. All that's changed is that I've woken up to reality!"

Sora snorted. "Reality? And what reality might that be?"

Amy's eyes narrowed, and her lips parted in a cruel grin. "I've been deluding myself, thinking I could be satisfied by that weak 'love' you claim to share with Shizuka. Now I see, though. The only thing that can satisfy the raging fires of my lust… is you, Sora-chan!"

Sora raised his arms, prepared for an attack. "So what are you going to do now?"

Amy smiled wanly. "Your feigned innocence… I'll tear it all away, and take from you what I desire. If I have to, I'll shatter your mind and soul into pieces first, leaving your body empty, a toy for me to do as I please with!" She glanced at Shizuka. "Your beloved Shizuka survived... A pity. Perhaps we should try again?"

Shizuka went white and shrank back into the cot. "Amy-chan…" She stared. "No… you can't be. You're not the girl I roomed with for three years, who called me 'sister'! Give Amy-chan back, whatever you are!"

Sora grabbed Amy's shoulder. "Touch Shizuka again, and I'll destroy you. And not Amy-chan, mind. I'll obliterate you, the thing that's taken over her mind."

Amy pouted seductively at him. "Aw… Well, I'll tell you what. If you let me have my way with you, I'll leave your pitiful girlfriend alone, okay?" She grabbed his hands and pulled them towards her breasts. "Come on… let's have some fun…" she purred.

Sora slipped out of her grasp and looked her directly in the eyes. Black dots swirled in them, and he nodded. "I knew it. The more you get into it, the harder it is to hide." He turned his back on her and went to Shizuka's side. "Don't worry," he told her. "This time, I'll protect you from her, no matter what."

Shizuka clung to him. "What is it? What's happened to Amy-chan?"

Sora glared coldly at Amy. "AIDA."

Shizuka gasped. "AIDA? You mean…"

Sora nodded. "Right. That force I've been fighting for months… it's entered the mind of Amy-chan, and taken it for its own. Right now, the real Amy-chan is trapped within her own mind, imprisoned by all the dark, evil thoughts she's ever had."

Shizuka clung harder. "No…"

Sora held her gently against him. "Don't worry. I'll bring her back."

Amy laughed. "I'm right here, Sora-chan. Don't talk about silly things like 'bringing me back'."

Sora sighed. "Let's just end this, AIDA. Fight me, in 'The World'. If I win, my Data Drain will purge you from Amy-chan's mind."

Amy grinned darkly. "You know, of course, that there's a good chance I'll fall into a coma if you do that."

Sora nodded. "I know, but I have no other choice. I can't leave you in control of her mind."

Shizuka began to sob, and Sora turned to her and hugged her tighter. "It's all right…" he said soothingly. "In the end, even if she falls into a coma, I'll bring Amy-chan back."

Amy shrugged. "And if I win?"

Sora turned and looked impassively at her. "Then I'll be the one in a coma. In other words, my body will become nothing more than a lifeless doll."

Amy's eyes widened. "So then…"

Sora nodded. "That's what you want, isn't it? To reduce me to nothing more than a toy with which to satisfy your pleasures… that is your prize, if you win. Mine is the safe return of Amy-chan. Would you call them fair terms?"

Amy laughed evilly. "More than fair, little one! That wonderful body of yours, limp, lifeless, mine to completely dominate… I ache with pleasure at the mere thought of it!"

Sora glared. "You truly are nothing more than a scion of AIDA. Amy-chan held no such sickness of mind."

Amy smiled wanly. "Six o'clock tonight, Sora-chan. I'll meet you at the old soccer field, in the park."

Sora nodded grimly. "It will end then, AIDA… whether I purge your taint from Amy-chan's mind, or you destroy my mind and take my body as your trophy."

Amy laughed maniacally and left. Shizuka clung tighter to Sora. "So-chan…"

Sora held her close. "I won't let her win, Shizuka. Don't forget my promise to you. I'll win, and we'll have Amy-chan back again."

Shizuka sobbed into his chest. "But… you might…" She raised her head, a pained look in her eyes. "What if she wins? I can't bear the thought of her using you like that!"

Sora laid a hand on her cheek. "Shizuka… it's all right."

Shizuka closed her eyes and rested against his hand. "I know… I know you have to beat her. Don't worry about that. Even if she falls into a coma, at least she'll be free of it. She'll be my friend Amy-chan again. But still… you almost died before, against Leukos. How can I be sure you won't die this time?"

Sora smiled. "Because I promise you I won't. And I won't ever break a promise to someone I love."

Tears ran down Shizuka's face. "But… I can't believe you're willing to risk that, just for me and Amy-chan…" She opened her eye and looked at him. "Your innocence is what makes you everything you are… and you'd risk letting her strip it away, and leave you with nothing behind?"

Sora closed his eyes. "Shizuka… stop, please… I don't want to see you like this either."

Shizuka pressed herself against him again. "I… I'm not a perfect person, So-chan. I can be selfish too. I don't want anyone else to take you away from me."

Sora hugged her tighter. "Shizuka…"

She sobbed. "I know it's wrong… but one day, when you're ready too, I want us to be together, in that way… and I don't want anyone else to have you before I do."

Sora stroked her head. "Wrong? You're not wrong, to want that. Between us… it would be just a deeper expression of our love. Just because I'm not ready yet, doesn't make it wrong to look forward to when I am."

Shizuka raised her head and stared at him. "You'd… let me?"

Sora nodded. "One day, Shizuka… when I'm sure of my heart… we will be together, wholly and completely."

Shizuka smiled. "Yeah… I'd like that." She kissed him softly. "Promise?"

Sora looked uncomfortable. "Shizuka… I'm still not sure where my heart lies."

Shizuka's smile broadened. "I know. You love everyone, so it's hard to tell, isn't it? But I really… really do want it to lie with me. I'm sorry… like I said, I'm greedy."

Sora laughed softly, his eyes twinkling. "Only about important things. And love is always greedy, so don't be ashamed of it. I'll promise you this- if my heart truly lies with you, then the day will come when we two lie together."

Shizuka giggled. "Always the little poet, aren't you? You don't have to promise me something like that."

Sora smiled. "But you wanted me to, right? Don't worry… I'll give you whatever your greedy little heart desires."

Shizuka nodded. "I know." She reached over and began rummaging in her bag again. "And I won't be afraid anymore." She drew out a flat cylinder. "Take this. I may be stuck in this bed, but I can still fight with you in spirit."

Sora took the cylinder. "Your M2D? You never let anybody use this!"

Shizuka smiled. "I've watched you fight many times on this. I know how strong you are. Take it. My heart will be with you, always."

Sora nodded, and clipped the device to his own ear. "Okay. Tonight, we'll fight together, and we'll bring Amy-chan back."

Shizuka smiled, and kissed him for about a minute. "By the way," she said, when they had separated, smiling happily, "…Don't you have an exam?"

Sora yelped and jumped up. "That's right, the final! I've got to go!"

Shizuka giggled as he dashed out the door. "That goof…" She lay back and gazed at the ceiling. "So, he was really willing to promise me that…" she murmured happily. "Could he really become my lover and still keep that wonderful innocence of his, though? Above all, I want to protect that about him." She giggled. "Well… we'll figure it out when the time comes." She sighed and fell into a light, relaxed sleep.

It was windy and rainy that night. By the time Sora was able to find his way to the field in the dim twilight, it was nearly quarter past six. Amy stood there, a cruel, dark smile on her face. "You're late," she said softly. "I don't like it when my prey keeps me waiting."

Sora drew a controller out of his bag. "Whatever. So where's the battlefield?"

Amy shrugged. "How about the Arena?"

Sora glared. "Somewhere secluded, idiot. I'm not taking the chance that you'll grab some innocent bystander and use them as a shield."

Amy's grin widened. "Hulle Granz, then?"

Sora snorted. "I'm not going to fight on sacred ground like that. We'll take our fight to Indieglut Lugh."

Amy shook her head. "No, I've decided. Hulle Granz it is. If you go anywhere else, you won't find me."

Sora sighed. "Fine, but outside the cathedral." He powered up Shizuka's M2D and clipped it to his ear. "Ready?"

Amy chuckled softly. "You're using your little girlfriend's M2D, I see. Let me guess… something sentimental like 'we'll fight this battle together', right?"

Sora took a few steps back from her. "Something like that, yes. I said, are you ready?"

Amy powered up her own M2D. "Of course. I've been ready for fifteen minutes." She smiled wanly. "That really was mean of you, Sora-chan. You know how much I want to take you for my own…"

Sora cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Enough. Are you going to fight me or not?"

Amy laughed and drew out her own controller. "Of course I am. I don't get the prize if I don't kill you, after all!"

Both players logged into 'The World' and quickly made their way to Hulle Granz. Haruko stared across at Lucia. "Your move, AIDA," he said softly.

Lucia smiled and pulled out a long chain. "Very well, Sora-chan… Here I come!" She charged, swinging the chain as she came.

Haruko saw the claw-blade on the end of the chain and darted backwards. "A Chain Master Xth form… great, as if this weren't hard enough already." He panted as he dodged and weaved around her long, sweeping strikes.

Lucia laughed and threw the bladed end at him. "Come on, Sora-chan! Let's play!"

Haruko knocked the chain aside with his katana and charged her. "As you wish, AIDA!" He struck her hard and knocked her reeling.

Lucia shook her head to clear it. "You're pretty strong, aren't you?" She twirled and whipped the chain around, tangling Haruko in it and pinning his arms to his sides. "But how about this?" She tossed him high into the air, towards the side of the platform and the pit below it.

Haruko barely managed to grab on to the side with one hand. His sword fell from his slack hand, and he hung there, gritting his teeth as he dangled over the pit. Lucia walked up to him and laughed. "Is this all you have, Sora-chan? Oh, well. Even if I don't have fun defeating you, I can think of so many fun things to do with your body once you're gone." She raised the chain. "Die, Sora-chan!"

Haruko closed his eyes and prepared for the impact. Regret flooded him as he realized how much he was about to lose, and images flashed through his mind. His own body, sprawled on the ground with blank, staring eyes… Amy, forever lost to AIDA's darkness… Akiko, sobbing with nobody to comfort her… and Shizuka, totally exposed to Amy's next attack…

At the thought of Shizuka, Haruko's eyes flew open. He could see, in his mind's eye, Shizuka waiting for him to return once again. _Don't worry,_ he had promised. _I won't ever die protecting you, or anyone else._ As the chain descended, his fist tightened. "No. I won't die here. The soft feeling of Shizuka's lips on mine, the gentle scent of her hair, and the love we share with each other… If I die here, I'll never feel those things again." He pulled hard with his arm and flung himself into the air. "And neither will she! I won't let you take away what's important to us!"

Lucia stared upward, suddenly fearful. "Impossible!"

Haruko's eyes darkened, and he dove at her, twin swords blazing. "You would say that. You know nothing of love, after all."

Lucia blanched and tried to back away, but Haruko crashed down like a meteor and launched an unrelenting barrage of strikes. "I won't let you hurt anyone else! Not me, and not my friends!" He forced her back and raised the Bracelet. As it glowed with power, his eyes narrowed. "Disappear," he said in a cruel whisper, and fired.

The blast impacted on a wall of black spots that erupted out of nowhere. Lucia laughed and raised one hand. "Yes… come to me and bring me my victory! My ecstatic pleasure! Lust's dread serpent… Aphros!"

A black serpent erupted from the wall behind her, red eyes glowing fiercely. Haruko knelt. "It's time… Gemini!" he called. His Avatar erupted into being around him, green eyes blazing. "A serpent… it befits one who is the personification of Amy-chan's lust. Come, then!" He raised his hand and seized one of the six talismans floating around his wrist. The talisman flared and became a sword, and he charged, holding it high.

Aphros dodged to one side of the slash and curled around Gemini's arm. Lucia laughed horribly. "This won't be like fighting Magus or Leonine, Sora-chan! I'll smother you with my 'love' and take you for my own!" Aphros hissed and reared back to strike.

Gemini swung its left fist around and struck Aphros hard in the mouth as it went to attack, crushing both of its fangs and knocking it free of his arm. "No. I promised Shizuka that if my heart ended its journey with her, then she would be the first to have that honor."

Lucia's eyes widened, and she laughed madly. "You? The innocent little child who's too afraid to give me a tongue-kiss promised something like that?" She leapt at him, Aphros' coils spread wide to encircle him.

Gemini sidestepped, changed to broadsword, and landed a massive strike down Aphros' length. "Why not?" replied Haruko, following up with a pair of scythe slashes. "I'm afraid only of losing my innocence. But if I share that experience with someone I love, without any lust on either side, then I won't lose it. I'm not afraid of it, just not ready."

Aphros slid its tail out and tripped Gemini, and wrapped its coils fast around its torso. Lucia frowned. "Not afraid? You were a nervous wreck when I dominated you."

Haruko frowned back. "Because you were dominating me, making me do what I wasn't ready to do." Gemini seized Aphros' head and hacked at it with its sword. "Your actions were born out of lust for my body. It's not that way for Shizuka and me."

Aphros tightened its coils and made Gemini lose its grip for a moment. Lucia snorted. "Pure love… love without any desire… without wanting anything back…" She laughed. "What tripe! Such a love does not exist anywhere on this earth!"

Gemini seized Aphros' head in its left hand once more and smashed its right fist into it again and again. Haruko glared. "That's what you can't understand. It does exist. Between me and Shizuka, and between Akiko-chan and me, and between Hiruma-kun and Renée-chan… we all love each other like that." His eyes softened, even as Gemini dealt another blow and ripped Aphros' coils away from its chest. "I hope you can find it one day. I showed you what it was like, once…"

Lucia leapt back, panting. She grinned. "That's an odd thing to say to the enemy."

Haruko glared again, and Gemini's eyes narrowed to slits. "I wasn't talking to you, AIDA. I was talking to Amy-chan."

Lucia laughed. "No difference. I keep telling you, but you can't seem to get…" She gasped. In real life, Sora looked across at Amy, and saw her eyes clear of black spots for a moment. "Sora-chan…" she murmured, and then her eyes went dark again.

Haruko grinned. "There we go. I knew she was in there somewhere still." He roared, and Gemini charged to resume its attack. The six talismans on its right arm leapt out like bullets and exploded against Aphros' barrier, only to regenerate a few seconds later and fire again. Lucia screamed in terror as Aphros' barrier shattered and vanished. Gemini clapped its hands together, and the talismans on each arm joined together. It thrust its right arm out, and the six joined talismans spun around. Energy flooded into its palm as it prepared its attack.

Lucia screamed, and Aphros tried to run away. Haruko laughed coldly and sighted carefully on it. "Data… Drain!" he yelled.

The shot struck Aphros dead-on, and it screeched and boiled away. Lucia dropped to the ground, hard, and stood panting, fury etched on her face. "You…"

Haruko dispelled Gemini and floated gently to the ground. "I'm impressed. Gemini's attack should have ended it already. You're as resilient as Leukos-san." He raised his right arm to the side, as the bracelet flared. "Fine. I'll finish it on foot."

Lucia whirled her chain. "Come on! I'll still destroy you! I'll shatter your pathetic promise to Shizuka-chan… and then take for myself what I desire!"

Haruko looked up at her, a storm gathering in his eyes. "Desire? That's not what you need, Amy-chan. You know that." The light of the bracelet flared out into the shape of a blade, long and thin. He smiled. "Data Blade!" he howled, and charged.

Lucia struck back with her chains, and although Haruko was able to evade being entangled again, the chain coiled itself around his blade. She smirked coldly. "The Data Blade power… Lord Aquarios told me about that. Hatred, eh? I just might get you to take me after all."

Haruko shook his head, and pulled free of the chains. "No. This is a different blade than the broadsword I faced Aquarios with. Then, I was lost in anger. But now… What I hate is not Amy-chan. How could I? I love her, and she loves me. What I hate is the AIDA that has taken over her mind." He swung upwards and deflected her next strike. "This isn't a sword of destruction. Its purpose is to purge AIDA from Amy-chan's mind, and leave her free of its taint."

Lucia laughed wildly and dashed forward. Suddenly, she flickered and vanished, only to reappear directly behind Haruko. With a pair of deft movements, she caught him in the chains. "Such absurd thoughts you have." Her face suddenly became hideous. "I'm so sick of it! I'm going to kill you now anyway, just so I don't have to listen to you anymore!" She raised the claw on the end of the chain, laughing maniacally. "Say goodbye to your consciousness… and your thrice damned innocence!"

Haruko's eyes went wide. _No… I can't die here…_ He struggled frantically against the chains. "No!" he yelled. "Amy-chan, please, stop this thing!"

Lucia laughed and swept the blade down. "Amy can't hear you anymore, Sora-chan! Now die!"

The blade halted an inch from Haruko's neck. Lucia's face seemed to flicker, and for a moment it was normal again. "Sora-chan!" called Amy's voice.

Haruko blinked. "Amy-chan!"

Lucia's face began to flicker between hideous and pained. "Sora-chan… hurry! I can't hold her back!"

Haruko's face fell. "But… What can I do?"

A sudden pressure against him in real life made him pause. Sora opened his left eye and looked down. "Akiko-chan?"

Akiko clung to him, an M2D of her own clipped to her eye. "Sora… I'm watching. So don't you dare die, okay?"

A voice echoed through the earpiece- Shizuka's. "Me too. We're all here with you, So-chan! Don't you dare lose!"

In 'The World' once more, Haruko smiled. "Of course I won't. I promised." With a quick motion, he swung up the Data Blade and severed the chains. "I won't break my promises! You can't make me!"

Lucia leapt back and cursed, even as black dots played around the broken chain and repaired it. "You're too annoying to let live! I'm ending this now, before getting my hands on your body stops being worth it!"

Akiko's eyes widened. "You…" Her eyes blazed. "You'll never touch my Sora like that! I won't let you lay a finger on him!"

Lucia charged, roaring in fury, and then teleported behind Haruko again. "Got you!" she crowed.

Akiko roared in answer, and sunk her fist deep into Amy's stomach. Amy gasped and doubled over, and Lucia halted her attack.

Haruko nodded grimly, grabbed the chain, and allowed it to wind around his fist. As Lucia recovered, he gave a hard yank and pulled it from her grip. The Twilight Bracelet flared with energy, and the chain glowed golden and exploded into pieces.

Lucia stepped back, fearful. "No way…"

Haruko raised his blade and smiled. "Can you hear me, Amy-chan? Come on back to us."

Lucia glared. "She's not here anymore! She isn't anywhere!"

Haruko smiled. "Oh, that's not true at all. She's right in front of me. Please, Amy-chan. I want to see you again."

Akiko clenched her fist. "Come on out, or I'll hit you again!"

Haruko's smile widened. "Please? There's someone who wants to see you, Amy-chan, just one more time."

Shizuka's voice sounded loudly over the link. "Amy-chan! Aneechan!"

Lucia's eyes flew wide. "Shizuka-chan… sis…"

Haruko nodded, still smiling. "That's right… you two were like sisters. AIDA can't bury a bond like that completely, no matter how hard it tries."

Together, the three called out, "Amy-chan!"

Amy trembled violently, and the darkness cleared from her eyes. In 'The World', Lucia's eyes faded from their red madness to Amy's wild green. "What…" She fell to her knees, sobbing. "What have I done?"

Haruko stood over her, smiling gently. "It's okay, Amy-chan. I forgive you. You couldn't help it anyway."

Shizuka's voice was strong. "I forgive you too, Amy-chan. You're like a sister to me, after all, right?"

Lucia rose and stared into Haruko's eyes. "Sora-chan… do it. Now, while my mind is still clear."

Haruko nodded. "I know," he said, and struck. The Data Blade sunk deep into her chest, and she gasped softly. A loud screech rent the air, and hundreds of black dots burst out of Lucia's body, only to vanish in the light of the setting sun.

Sora ripped off his M2D and dashed forward just as Amy's knees gave way and she fell. He caught her in his arms and held her. "Amy-chan…" he murmured.

With a supreme effort, she raised her hand and touched his cheek. "Sora-chan… thank you…" Her hand fell softly away, and her eyes closed.

Sora pulled off her M2D and hugged her tightly. "Amy-chan!" he sobbed.

Akiko pulled out her cellphone silently and called an ambulance. Then she laid a hand on Sora's back. "You had to do it, Sora."

Sora sobbed. "I know… I know, but… Amy-chan…" He raised his head to the sky. "Why?" he howled. "Why does this have to keep happening? How many more will die… What am I even fighting for?"

Akiko came up behind him and put her arms around him. "You're fighting so that nobody else has to see this happen, remember?"

Sora sniffed. "I know that… But still…"

Akiko gently pried Amy from his arms. "It's gone now… AIDA's taint is gone from her." She laid Amy on the ground. "Didn't you hear what she said to you? She said 'thank you'. She doesn't want you to be sad." She hugged him close to her. "And neither do I, Sora."

Sora broke down and began to bawl. "Akiko-chan…"

Akiko held him close and kissed his cheek. "There… that's it. You did a brave, noble thing today, Sora. You saved Amy-san from a terrible fate. But it hurt you deeply to do it, right?" She gently began to rub his back. "Cry all you want in my arms, Sora. Cry until you don't have any tears left, so I can take that pain away."

They stayed like that for a long time, until flashing lights and sirens heralded the arrival of the ambulance. Sora raised his head and smiled sadly. "Thank you… Akiko."

Akiko smiled back at him. "There you go… Don't forget, ever, that even though I'm your rival, I still love you too." She giggled. "But don't even think of making me the same promise you made Shizuka-san. I'm still only seventeen, you know!"

Sora laughed, his eyes sparkling. "Like that would matter to you? Besides…" His face took on an evil grin. "You'll be eighteen in a few weeks. Then we can do whatever we like together…"

Akiko threw a punch over his shoulder. "Don't you get any ideas, Sora. I might just have to beat you down again."

Sora laughed. "Beat me down? Like you'd have a chance at that?"

Akiko's eyes sparkled. "I beat you at least half of the time, you know. I've been keeping track!" She reached out and wiped away the tears staining his face. "Feel better, Sora?"

Sora nodded softly. "Yeah…" He stood up, and lifted Amy into his arms. The ambulance crew came down with a stretcher, and with their help he laid her gently on it. "I'm going too," he said softly. "She's my friend."

One of the EMTs nodded. "Okay. What about her?"

Sora went to Akiko, who was still standing where Amy had been. "Coming, Akiko?"

Akiko smiled. "You go on ahead. I…" She shrugged helplessly. "I'll be all right."

Sora gently took her hand in his. "Come on, Akiko. Let's go with Amy-chan together."

Akiko looked down at their entwined hands, and blushed slightly, though in the twilight Sora couldn't see it. "O-okay, Sora." She stooped, and retrieved Shizuka's pink M2D. "Don't forget this, though."

Sora smiled and slid it into his pocket. "Thanks, Akiko. Shizuka would have killed me if I didn't bring this back." He walked towards the ambulance as the EMTs loaded Amy's stretcher into the back. "Come on!"

Akiko smiled and began to walk with him, still holding tight to him. _Sora's… actually holding my hand… and not just because it needs to be held…_

Author's Notes: Ah... at long last, another good fight scene. And one in which, for once, the real world actually starts influencing events in "The World" and not the other way around. I thought that little bit was a nice touch. :D

Also, Sora's crazy yell at the end... yeah, that's a rip off of something, all right, but I couldn't help it... it just fit the moment so perfectly... Plus, I'm a huge fan of the character whose lines I was referencing, so it's all good. And I really do like the last line of this chapter. Sora's the sort of person who'll do anything for another person if they need him, but here... well, over-explain something, and you kinda ruin it for the readers, but think about it. It's an interesting event, that simple action...


	5. Hidden

At the hospital, the two were left in a waiting room while a group of nurses hustled Amy into the emergency room. Akiko sighed and leaned gently against Sora.

Sora smiled. "Tired, Akiko?"

Akiko blinked. "Huh? Oh… Yeah, I guess." She blushed softly.

Sora laughed. "Okay." He guided her over to a pair of chairs and sat down. Akiko sighed happily and leaned against him again. Sora smiled warmly and put his arm around her. "Just relax, Akiko. This could take a while."

Akiko closed her eyes and settled herself against him. She soon dozed off.

Sora smiled down at her. "Sleep well, my little Akiko," he whispered softly.

A little while later, a doctor came out of the emergency room, holding a clipboard. He came over to Sora. "Are you the one who came in with that girl just now?" he asked. Sora nodded. He frowned. "Well, she's… I'm afraid she's comatose. It looks like Doll Syndrome again."

Sora nodded. "I was afraid of that." His grip on Akiko tightened slightly. "Nothing that can be done, then?"

The doctor shook his head. "Nothing. Dozens of victims over the past eight months, and we still have no idea what Doll Syndrome is or how to cure it." He motioned to Akiko. "Is she all right?"

Sora blinked. "Akiko? She's just sleeping. It's been a pretty rough week."

The doctor nodded. "I can understand that. A lot of people have come in here in the last few days." He smiled. "Cute girl, though. Is she your girlfriend?"

Sora smiled down at Akiko. "It might be getting to that point."

Akiko stirred slightly, and then snuggled herself against Sora again, smiling. Sora chuckled softly. "Say…" He pulled out his cellphone and handed it to the doctor. "Could you take a picture of her and me?"

The doctor shrugged. "Sure, why not?" He clicked the exposure button, and examined the screen. "There, that's a good shot."

Sora took the phone back and grinned. "Nice. You've got a good eye for this sort of thing."

The doctor smiled. "Thanks. Now…" He frowned again. "I'm sorry, but you two had better get going. Visiting hours are long over, and frankly, the nurses shouldn't have even let you in here."

Sora shrugged. "Fine, fine. We were only worried about whether Amy-chan was going to be okay." He shook Akiko gently. "Wake up, Akiko. We've got to go."

Akiko stirred and opened her eyes. "Wha… Sora?"

Sora smiled down at her. "Hey, Akiko. The doctor says we need to leave now."

Akiko stared around her, confused. _I… fell asleep? And in Sora's arms?_ She shook her head rapidly. "Where am I?"

Sora blinked, stood up, and helped her to her feet. "In the hospital, remember? You and I came here with Amy-chan when she…"

Akiko clapped her hands to the sides of her head and shook it hard. "Argh! I can't believe I fell asleep when you were still upset like that!"

Sora laughed. "Akiko, I'm not upset anymore. You, on the other hand, were exhausted. So I let you take a nap."

Akiko sighed and lowered her hands. "Well… okay." She shrugged. "How are we getting home, though?"

Sora smiled. "Already taken care of. Hiruma-kun said he would bring my MX-6 over so we could get back."

Akiko blinked. "That's nice of him. But I should probably just walk home. My house is a long way out of your way anyway."

Sora waved a hand at her. "It's no problem. Besides…" He glanced at her. "It's a long walk back in the dark, and there are plenty of dark alleys between here and there."

Akiko shivered, remembering the man that had attacked her a few weeks before. "True…" She took his hand. "So, is he here already?"

Sora shrugged. "Probably. We should head for the door, though." He began to walk down the hallway. As he passed one door, a voice called out to him, and he turned.

Shizuka smiled at him from her bed. "I knew you'd make it back," she said softly.

Sora looked at the doctor. "Could we have a few minutes…?"

He shrugged. "Sure, why not? Keep it brief, though. They're downright draconian about rules here."

Sora nodded and entered Shizuka's room, Akiko in tow. Shizuka glanced at their hands, and her smile widened. "What's this? Akiko-chan, are you trying to steal my boyfriend?"

Akiko blushed furiously and let go of Sora's hand. "What? No, of course not!"

Shizuka giggled. "Yes, you were! Admit it!"

Sora laughed. "Go easy on her, Shizuka. You know she loves me as much as you do." He sat down by her bed. "How are you feeling?"

Shizuka blinked. "Me? Forget about me, are you all right? I saw you beat Amy-chan's character, and then the link went dead."

Sora shook his head. "Sorry. I took off the M2D so I could see Amy-chan." He rummaged in his pocket and pulled it out. "Here. This is yours."

Shizuka smiled back at him. "No, keep it. I've got a spare anyway, and this way you'll always have a part of me with you."

Akiko sat down next to Sora. "There wasn't anything to see, anyway. Amy-san was gone almost immediately."

Shizuka nodded. "I know. I saw them bringing her in. She's in a coma after all, isn't she?"

Sora bowed his head. "At the end… she said, 'Thank you'…"

Shizuka laid her hand on his. "Yeah… Thanks, So-chan. You gave me my friend back."

Sora gnashed his teeth. "But I didn't! I took her away! Because of me, Amy-chan is…"

Shizuka took his hand firmly in her own. "No, So-chan. Because of you, her mind is free again. It's AIDA's fault that she fell into a coma, not yours."

Akiko took his other hand. "That's right. I told you, it was a brave, noble thing you did. Never be ashamed of yourself, Sora. You're the greatest person I know."

Sora sighed, his head hanging low. "Shizuka… Akiko…"

Shizuka tightened her grip. "What'd you say? I could have sworn you were calling Akiko-chan just 'Akiko', like you do with me."

Sora raised his head and grinned. "Oops…"

Akiko grinned triumphantly at Shizuka. "Looks like he's _my_ boyfriend now, Shizuka-san!"

Shizuka tugged at his arm. "No way! He's mine!"

Sora yelped as the girls began tugging on his arms. "Not again… come on! I like both of you, so how do you expect me to choose?"

Shizuka and Akiko caught each other's eyes and nodded. Both girls gave one last tug in unison, then lunged forward and tickled Sora hard under the ribs. He let out a loud yelp and tried to break free, but the two girls held fast to him.

The doctor entered, chuckling. "I'm sorry to have to break up your fun, but it's been five minutes already. You'd best get going." A loud honk echoed through the halls. "And it seems like your friend is here anyway."

Sora sighed and sank back as the girls reluctantly stopped tickling him. His eyes sparkled as he looked at Shizuka. "I'll see you after winter break, Shizuka. Make sure you're up and around by then, okay?"

Shizuka pouted. "I don't know… I carried you all over the place when you were hurt, so I think you should return the favor, So-chan!"

Sora shrugged. "I will. Your casts won't be off by then, and it's hard to get up four flights of stairs in crutches." He laughed. "I guess I'll be the one giving you a piggyback, ne?"

Shizuka giggled and closed her eyes. "Yeah… goodbye, So-chan."

Sora nodded and left. At the door, he paused, and turned. "Akiko, are you coming?"

Akiko stayed in her chair by Shizuka's bed. "In a minute. Go on ahead, Sora."

Sora shrugged, and set off down the hall. "I'll be waiting. Hurry up, okay?"

Akiko laughed, and then turned to Shizuka. Shizuka looked up at her. "It really tore him up, didn't it?"

Akiko nodded solemnly. "I've never seen him like this before. He was screaming at the sky, and then when I held him, he started bawling." She shook her head. "He's getting close to a breakdown. I think he might snap if one more thing happens."

Shizuka sighed. "I have to do something, but what?"

Akiko pressed something into her hand. "This. I'm already there, but he needs your support too." She frowned. "Be careful, though. Each of us holds a piece of his heart. If you got yourself killed…"

Shizuka nodded. "I know. But don't mistake So-chan. It's not like he's given half of his heart to me and half to you. Each of us has all of his heart, and when any of us is hurt, he feels it too." She frowned. "I think I know which one you are."

Akiko nodded. "Precisely. I didn't enter just to protect him, but ever since I realized that Sora is Haruko, I've been doing everything I can to make sure he doesn't die."

Shizuka nodded. "Right… You'd better go. So-chan will be waiting."

Akiko laughed. "Yeah, and he gets bored pretty easily." She smiled. "Think about what I said. And be careful, all right? I'd be pretty upset, too, if something happened to you." She left the room and ran down the hall after Sora.

Shizuka smiled, and looked down at the controller in her hand. "Okay… I'll support him in 'The World', too. After all, that's what a true girlfriend is for: to protect the one she loves."

Outside, Hiruma and Renée were waiting in the MX-6, smiling and waving as Sora and Akiko emerged. Hiruma stepped out of the driver's seat and offered it to Sora, who bowed theatrically and got in. Akiko laughed and leapt lightly into the passenger seat beside him.

Hiruma blinked. "Okay… guess I'll sit in back with Renée, then."

Akiko grinned at him. "What, you weren't going to do that already?"

Renée laughed. "She has got a point, Hiruma-kun. Besides…" She giggled. "This way, we can just put up the screen and talk in private…"

Hiruma blushed, but seated himself next to her. "O-okay…"

Renée giggled, and pushed a control. A thin clear screen rose up and separated the back seat from the front. "There…"

Hiruma rolled his eyes and slid a small section out of the way. "Wait until we're actually moving, Renée."

Sora nodded, and laid one hand on the stick shift. "All right, ready?"

Akiko laid her hand on his. "Ready!"

Sora laughed. "I'm not going to be able to drive with your hand like that, Akiko."

Hiruma raised his eyebrows. "Another one? Well, I can't say I'm surprised."

Renée giggled. "Sora-sama is gathering quite the little harem, no?"

Sora blushed furiously. "Renée-chan!" He blinked. "You've been getting a little more daring lately, ne?"

Renée giggled. "I guess you're beginning to… how is it said? 'Rub off' on me, Sora-sama." She shrugged. "Well, let us go, then!"

Hiruma shrugged and slid the screen shut again. Sora laughed and revved the engine. "I suggest you buckle up, Akiko. I think I might just try for a speed record again."

Akiko yelped and hastily buckled her seatbelt. Sora laughed and took off down the street, careful to stay only five miles over the speed limit.

As they sped along, and Sora concentrated only on getting down the winding streets, Akiko turned to her phone and sent a text message to Renée. In back, Renée read her message, gasped, and began sending messages back to Akiko. After a brief exchange, and a conference with Hiruma, Renée nodded and sent one final message. _All right. I'll gladly do it, for Sora-sama._

Akiko read the message and sighed with relief. Sora laughed and pulled to a stop. "Well, here's your house, Akiko. Sorry if my insane driving scared you."

Akiko leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. "No, it's fine. See you after break, Sora." She turned and opened the car door.

Sora grabbed her hand and held it. "Wait a second, Akiko." She turned, confused. Sora raised his head and looked her in the eyes. "Thank you, for everything you did tonight. I'd still be a wreck if you hadn't comforted me."

Akiko smiled. "Of course. I love you, Sora, and I don't want you to have to be like that." She gently pulled her hand out of his, climbed out of the car, and waved. "Bye, Sora!" she called.

Sora backed up, grinning. "Bye, Akiko," he called back.

Akiko frowned as he pulled away. _You're still torn up on the inside, Sora, no matter what face you present to the world. I hope you'll be all right._ She turned and went into her house.

At the dorms, Sora said goodbye to Hiruma and Renée, changed into his boxers, and lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. "Another sleepless night, I bet…" he muttered.

"That would not do at all, Sora-sama. Let me see what I can do about that."

Sora sat up at the sound of this new voice. "Renée-chan? What are you doing in here?"

Renée looked at him with sad eyes. "Akiko-san told me what happened to you tonight. You've been through too much lately. I shall not let you be alone tonight."

Sora blinked. "Shizuka…"

Renée smiled sadly. "Yes… she said something like that, the night you two became a couple, right? It is as true for me as it was for her."

Sora stared. "But…"

Renée sighed. "You know, I spoke to Shizuka-san a little while ago. I told her how Akiko-san wanted me to help you tonight, and asked her what the best thing I could do for you was. She told me about how you said you were lonely without someone there with you at night…" She looked up. "So, for tonight, I shall be her replacement."

Sora blanched. "But, what about Hiruma-kun? I mean, you two are lovers… it doesn't seem right."

Renée shook her head. "I discussed it with him first, of course." She came over and sat down by his side, looking straight at him. "He is perfectly fine with sharing his girlfriend with you for one night. Akiko-san, Hiruma-kun, Shizuka-san… we all want you to be happy." She put her hands on his shoulders.

Sora sighed and looked away. "I… I shouldn't… I don't deserve…"

Renée leaned forward and kissed him. "Stop thinking about it, Sora-sama. Just let yourself be happy for once. Do you not think you deserve even that?"

Sora laid a hand on her cheek. "Renée-chan…" He put his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "Thank you. I won't think about it anymore. And besides…" He let go and lay down, holding out his arms to her.

Renée smiled and let him take her in his arms. "Deserving or not, you need it, right? And you do deserve it. Do not let anyone tell you that you do not deserve to be happy, or comforted- especially yourself."

Sora nodded, and drew the blanket up around them. "I know. I can't help feeling that way sometimes, though."

Renée shook her head. "You shouldn't. But…" She laid a hand on his cheek. "Is there something else that is troubling you? Something does not seem right about you."

Sora's eyes widened. "Y-yes… You're as insightful as I am, Renée-chan. I'm... ashamed of myself, really. Every other time, I tried my hardest and did my best; I failed because I wasn't strong enough. But I can't shake the feeling that I didn't fight my hardest to help Atoli."

Renée blinked. "Atoli? The girl who treats you as her elder brother? What do you mean, 'didn't fight your hardest'?"

Sora sighed, and leaned his head against Renée's shoulder. "Yesterday… Atoli was attacked by AIDA. She's all right otherwise, but now her right hand has become paralyzed." He closed his eyes. "Hiruma-kun called me at the hospital to warn me that Atoli was in trouble. And I…"

Renée's eyes widened. "You didn't go right away, did you?"

Sora shook his head. "No. I was so worried about Shizuka, I couldn't decide what to do. Eventually, Shizuka got me to go help her, but the point is, I could have gone to help her long before that. Because of that, I was too late to do anything but wait."

Renée hugged him close. "No wonder… I understand, now. That is why you keep feeling that you don't deserve any love or kindness, is it not?" She sighed. "Sora-sama… if you feel that way, why don't you talk to Atoli? I can forgive you easily for what you did, for you were worried about your girlfriend and wanted to make sure she was all right. But Atoli is the one whom you wronged."

Sora blinked. "Atoli? How can I ask her to forgive me for something like that? I'm her brother. I should be able to drop everything and run to her side if she's in danger."

Renée fixed him with a hard stare, and slid out of the bed. "Sora-sama… If you had, it is quite possible that Shizuka-san would be dead right now from blood loss, or at least far worse off than she is. After all, it was you who donated the blood to her when she needed it." She pulled Shizuka's M2D and the controller from Sora's desk, handed them to him, and slid under the covers again. "In any case, you love them both. I can't fault you for deciding either way between them."

Sora clipped the M2D to his ear. "Forgiveness… I hope Atoli is still online."

Haruko warped in by the Chaos Gate and looked around. A soft voice fell on his ears. "Oniichan?"

He spun around. Atoli stood there, her right arm still hanging limp beside her. He sighed. "Atoli… I…"

Atoli took his hand with her left. "Wait. Let's go somewhere peaceful first." She entered his party and warped both of them to Arche Koeln.

She nodded as they warped in. "Okay, Oniichan. What's troubling you?"

Haruko bowed his head. "Atoli… I need to tell you something."

Atoli nodded. "Go on. Remember, I'll always comfort you if you need it, just as you've comforted me."

Haruko grit his teeth. "Yesterday… I didn't come to your aid as soon as I should have. In reality, Helio-kun told me that you had gone missing a full hour before I came looking for you."

Atoli blinked. "What? What happened?" She gasped. "Did someone get hurt, Oniichan?"

Haruko shook his head. "I… I was at the hospital, with Shizuka. She was hurt, but she wasn't in any danger. But I was worried, and I wanted to make sure she was all right."

Atoli bowed her head. "Oniichan…"

Haruko fell to his knees. "How can I ask you to call me that? A brother should be able to drop everything and run to his sister's aid whenever she needs him!" He bowed his head to the ground. "I'm sorry! I should have come the moment I heard! If I had…"

Atoli knelt beside him. "Don't bow to me, Oniichan. Not ever." She dragged him to his feet. "Besides, I told you already, there wasn't anything you could have done."

Haruko squeezed his eyes shut. "Even if it wouldn't have made any difference… I still should have been there!"

Atoli put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "It's all right, Oniichan." She looked up at him. "Is Shizuka-san badly hurt?"

Haruko looked away. "She was attacked, and badly beaten before I found her. She won't suffer any permanent injuries, but…" He shuddered. "It was a terrible sight."

Atoli held him tighter. "Then it's no wonder. I would have done just as you did. After all, Shizuka-san is part of your family too."

Haruko blinked. "I… never thought of it that way."

Atoli smiled. "I know you, Sora-niichan. When you became her boyfriend, you drew her into your family, just as you have for me. You're just that sort of person."

Haruko laughed softly. "Yeah… I guess I am."

Atoli giggled. "So, you see, there's nothing to be ashamed of. I'd never make you choose between family. You made sure Shizuka-san was all right, and then you came for me. You're a true brother to me, Oniichan. Don't ever forget that."

Haruko shook his head. "Even so… I should have come sooner."

Atoli hugged him close. "No, you shouldn't have. And even if you should have… I forgive you. I forgive you, Sora-niichan, for whatever you think you've done to me."

A peaceful smile slowly spread across Haruko's face. He hugged her back, a single tear running down his face. "Thank you…"

Atoli nodded. "Of course. I love you, Oniichan. I want you to always be smiling, and for you to always have fun, both here and in the real world."

Haruko nodded. "I know. I love you too, Atoli. And I promise, I'll do everything I can to find a way to fix your hand."

Atoli smiled. "Then I know I'm in good hands. With both Haseo and Oniichan looking for it, we'll definitely find the answer."

Haruko nodded and logged out, his smile lingering for a moment in Atoli's eyes.

Sora pulled off his M2D and sighed happily. Renée smiled over at him. "Feel better?" she asked softly.

Sora nodded. "Yeah. That was weighing on me a lot more than I thought it was."

Renée put her arms around him and drew him close to her. "Good… Now, to sleep, perhaps?"

Sora sighed as he hugged her back. "It's hard…"

Renée blinked. "Sora-sama?"

Sora smiled sadly. "I won't ever give up. I can always keep going. But it's getting hard to keep everyone else going. And it's so hard… I know I can live up to Kite-sama's legacy, and defend 'The World'. Zefie-chan wouldn't have given me the bracelet if she didn't believe in me. And yet…" He sighed. "Each battle is harder than the last, and I can't see an ending any time soon."

Renée kissed his brow. "You are stronger than anyone I know, Sora-sama. But maybe it's time you took a break."

Sora stared. "Take a break? How can I? I'm the leader of the Twilight Guardians, and the bearer of the Twilight Bracelet. I can't just stop."

Renée shrugged. "Just for winter break, I want you to stop playing 'The World' and just enjoy yourself. You need it, anyway."

Sora bit his lip. "But… AIDA…"

Renée smiled. "Do you not trust your guildmates? I have already spoken to Hiruma-kun about this, you know. They can manage in your absence, as long as another Disciple does not show up, and they have made plans for escape in case one does."

Sora fidgeted. "I don't know… How can I just leave them hanging like that?"

Renée nodded. "Trust your friends, Sora-sama. First Captain Akiko is perfectly capable of carrying on in your stead. And have fun. You need to rest and recover from all the pain you've seen these past six months."

Sora sighed. "You're as persistent as Shizuka… Fine. I'll leave my controller and FMD with you." He smiled. "I'll take Shizuka's M2D with me, though. I'm not leaving a precious gift like that lying around."

Renée kissed his cheek, hugged him tightly, and closed her eyes. "Fair enough. Now, good night, Sora-sama."

Sora hugged her back, closing his own eyes. "Yeah… Good night, Renée-chan."

Author's Notes: And, if that wasn't enough fair warning, next chapter begins an extended session in the real world. It runs, technically speaking, until the end of Chapter 12 (of 33!); then we're back to the usual formula. I really do like this next sequence, though; it gave me a chance to give some character development to a character that Bandai really did very little with, despite the fact that she's a fan favorite.

On the subject of this chapter, there's not much to say... The bombastic fight scene is over, though there'll be an action scene or two of a different sort in the coming chapters, but there's plenty of development. And I like the exchanges between Sora and Akiko and Sora and Renée; they really give some insight into Sora's state of mind right about now.


	6. Arrival

As he stepped out of the airport gates in Oahu, Sora sighed happily. "Home at last…" he murmured. "I wonder if Adam-niisan will show up."

He blinked as the sound of the song "Asterisk" reached his ears- his cellphone's ringtone. "Who would be calling me now?" he muttered, as he retrieved it. "_Moshi moshi…_" he said in a relaxed tone.

"Hey, Sora-kun," said a voice in Japanese. "Turn around."

Sora blinked. "Turn around? What?" He shrugged, and turned. "Okay, so…" He broke off at the sight of someone waving to him. He waved back, and the caller disconnected.

As the mystery caller approached him, Sora's eyes popped. "Chika-chan?"

Chika grinned. "Hey, Sora-kun. How'd you know a Japanese person was calling?"

Sora held up his phone. "Renée-chan cobbled together a program for me that lets me load two ringtones into the phone at once. When someone's calling from Japan, it plays 'Asterisk', and when someone from the States is calling, it's that victory theme from Final Fantasy VII."

Chika rolled her eyes. "Figures. 'Asterisk'… that's the first opening theme to the Bleach anime, right? And of course an idiot like you would think to use an FFVII ringtone, even if it's hopelessly out of date."

Sora shrugged. "So, what brings you to Oahu?"

Chika laughed. "Well, surprising as this may be to you, I'm kinda tired of snow. I felt like a change, and I knew you lived down here, so I badgered my parents into taking our vacation here."

Sora shrugged. "Fair enough. So, do you want me to show you around?"

Chika smiled. "Yeah, that would be nice. We should wait for my parents, though." She scanned the crowd. "There they are." She waved at a confused-looking Japanese couple in their late thirties.

The woman lit up and headed towards Chika, towing her confused husband. Sora blinked. "He's not seriously wearing a Hawaiian shirt, is he?"

Chika groaned. "I couldn't talk him out of it. He's almost as big of an idiot as you are, Sora-kun."

Sora shrugged. "Well, what can you do?" He bowed to the woman as she came up. "It's nice to meet you, Kuramoto-san," he said to her in Japanese.

She nodded. "Ah, you must be Chika's friend, Kapalo-san. It is nice to meet you as well. I am Kuramoto Mahi."

Chika's father grinned. "Say, your Japanese is really good. I wouldn't even know you were a foreigner if Chika hadn't told me." He stuck out a hand. "Kuramoto Takeshi, nice to meet you!"

Sora shook it and grinned. "Nice to meet you too." He looked at both of them. "So, Mahi-san and Takeshi-san, right?"

Takeshi grinned. "Not a very formal guy, are you? But you've got it right." He turned to Chika. "Hey, Chika, we've got to go figure out our hotel reservations, okay?"

Chika pouted. "Aw, but Sora-kun was going to show us around the area. He lives near here, you know."

Sora shrugged. "I can show you around at least, Chika-chan. I mean, your parents can handle that kind of stuff, and it's boring…" He frowned.

Mahi sniffed. "I'm not sure I'd trust you running around with Chika unattended."

Takeshi laughed. "Oh, come on, Mahi. Let her have some fun. Sora-kun's right- that stuff is really boring. And I'm sure Sora-kun knows enough to keep his mitts off of our daughter."

Sora gave a mock salute. "I'll treat her with dignity and respect."

Chika burst out laughing. "Oh, come on, Mom. Sora-kun's a good guy; you know that. Besides, his girlfriend would kill him if he started flirting with me."

Mahi sighed. "Fine, but don't hesitate to call for help if you're in trouble. We'll meet at Kapalo-san's house at three o'clock. Until then, behave yourself."

Takeshi gave a half-salute. "See you later, you two."

Chika laughed as they left. "Aren't you glad I turned out more like my dad?"

Sora rolled his eyes. "Infinitely. Now then…" He shrugged. "We should probably stop by my place first. I need to drop off my luggage, and you can leave your stuff there too. Besides, I haven't seen my family in a while, you know."

Chika nodded. "Good idea. Besides, I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of your family. If they're half as nice as you…"

Sora grinned. "With the exception of my older brother, who's hardly ever around, they are." He lifted his bags and began to walk. "It's not too far. Come on, let's go!"

Chika smiled and followed behind him. "So, who else is there, besides your brother?"

Sora shrugged. "Well, my mom and dad, of course, and then there's my little sister Miho."

Chika blinked. "Your sister has a Japanese name?"

Sora laughed. "Yeah. My mom's Japanese, so my father agreed to let her give any girls in our family Japanese names." As they reached the beach, he pointed. "There's my dad's surf shop. There's a little gift shop attached to it, too, that my mom runs. We live up above, on the second floor."

Chika nodded, and pointed to the small crowd in front. "Which one is your father?"

Sora laughed. "The big one," he said. He dropped his bags to the sand, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted, "Hey! Ray, you lazy bum! Can't you even be bothered to meet your own son at the airport?"

One of the men in the group looked up, an enormous grin on his face. "Heeeey, Sora!" He charged over and swept Sora into a huge bear hug. "I was figuring on you coming on the afternoon flight! When did you get here?"

Sora laughed and hugged him as hard as he could. "About half an hour ago. I caught the early flight and came right over."

Chika looked up at the towering Ray. "Big…" she muttered, a bit alarmed. "Man… he's a head taller than Sora-kun, and then some!"

Ray let go of Sora and looked over at Chika. He grinned. "Hey, Sora, who's this cute little _wahine_ you brought along? A new friend of yours?"

Chika gulped and backed up slightly. Sora laughed. "It's okay, Chika-chan. He's big and loud, but completely harmless. Great at surfing and hula, though."

Ray went down on one knee. "So, you're Sora's little friend Chika, huh?" He blinked. "Wait, do you speak English?"

Chika nodded. "Sure. I wouldn't have come to America if I couldn't speak the language."

Ray laughed, his wide stomach jiggling. "Fair enough. Well then, welcome to Hawaii, Chika. You're welcome in our house any time you want to stop by."

Chika smiled. "Thanks. I'll be sure to come by a lot."

Sora lifted his bags and motioned to the house. "Come on, Chika-chan. You can drop off your bags in my room." He set off at a quick pace.

Chika paused. "Say… his brother isn't here, is he?"

Ray blinked. "Adam? Why do you ask?"

Chika wrinkled her nose. "I met him in-game once. He was a real jerk, especially to Sora-kun. And I doubt either of them is going to be very forgiving after what happened."

Ray sighed. "Well, actually…"

A loud shout of "You!" echoed from out of the house. Ray cringed. "Adam's already here. He arrived yesterday."

Chika groaned and ran towards the house. Inside, Sora and Adam were staring at each other. Sora seemed somewhat indifferent, but an almost palpable aura of anger seemed to surround Adam. Chika looked more carefully at Adam. The two brothers were exactly the same height, and Adam's eyes were grey, like Sora's. However, they held none of Sora's brightness, but rather were like the dark sky during a winter rainstorm. Adam's skin was pale from working indoors for days on end, and his blonde hair was similarly bleached. Chika stood beside Sora, glaring at his brother- already, she felt an intense dislike for him.

Adam spoke first. "So, you dare come back here again after what happened?"

Sora shrugged. "This is my home too, Oniisan. Of course I'm going to come back during winter vacation." He frowned. "So, what are you doing back?"

Adam snorted. "It's Christmas. I got some time off of work and came back to spend it with my family. What did you expect?" He pointed to Chika. "Another one of your hangers-on, no doubt?"

Sora's eyes flared. "Thin ice, Adam-niisan. Don't insult my friends. This is Chika-chan. She and I met during our class trip to Hokkaido a few weeks ago."

Adam snorted. "And so now she's following you everywhere you go? Don't insult my intelligence, Michael."

Sora's eyes sharpened. "My name is Sora now, Adam-niisan. Did you forget? Then again, I'm talking to a person whose intelligence is so low it can't be insulted, but only complimented."

Adam glared. "Shut up, Michael. At least I'm not stupid enough to take on C.C. Corp."

Sora laughed harshly. "That's the greatest proof of your stupidity. You blindly follow whatever your superiors say, with no regard for the people who might get hurt on your foolish orders. All you care about is the software- and of course the users' money."

Adam grit his teeth. "Michael…"

A new voice cut in. "Oniichan! Oniisan! Knock it off, you two!"

A young, teenaged girl ran into the room, her face almost comically furious. Her blonde hair was spiked, and she wore ripped jeans and a Linkin Park t-shirt. Sora's bad mood evaporated in an instant. "Miho!" he called, holding out his arms to her.

Miho giggled and hugged him tightly, brown eyes sparkling. "Welcome home, Oniichan!" she said happily. "How've you been?"

Sora laughed. "Pretty good, all things considered."

Miho frowned. "Yeah… I heard about your girlfriend Shizuka-san. Is she…"

Sora nodded. "She's fine. I mean, the broken bones are going to take some time to heal, but otherwise she's all right. And she's still the same old Shizuka."

Miho smiled. "That's good. I know it would have really torn you up if she'd gotten permanently hurt."

Sora sighed. "Yeah…"

Miho turned to Adam and huffed. "Now for you, Oniisan. Stop fighting with Oniichan! I hate it when you two fight." She put her hands on her hips and glared at Adam.

Sora nodded. "Yeah, let's not fight. I came home to have fun, after all." He gently moved Miho aside. "But first…" He bowed low. "I'm sorry for attacking you two days ago. Even though I was worried about Atoli and Shizuka, that's no excuse for losing control like that."

Adam sighed. "Fine. Apology accepted, I suppose. And I'll agree to a truce for now." He looked down his nose at Sora. "But don't think that I've forgotten about your… 'exploits'. You can look forward to being deleted soon after break is over."

Sora shrugged. "I'm not worried. I am protected both by 'The World' itself and by all my friends. You'll never delete me."

Adam spun on his heel and went into his room, grumbling. Sora turned to Miho and swept her off the ground in a hug. "Now, how have you been, Miho?"

Miho pecked him on the cheek. "Fine. School's a drag, though."

Sora laughed. "You're telling me this? I'm in college, and you're just starting high school!"

Miho giggled. "Yeah… I suppose you're right." She pouted. "Now, what's this I hear about you taking on another little sister?"

Sora blinked. "Oh, you mean Atoli? Well… I, um…"

Miho burst out laughing. "Too easy, Oniichan! Of course I don't mind you doing that." Her eyes twinkled. "Besides, this way, I get to have a sister of my own." She turned to Chika. "So, who's this?"

Chika bowed politely. "I'm Chika. Nice to meet you, Miho-san."

Miho grinned. "Oh, you're Chika-san! The one who kept beating Oniichan in skiing." She laughed. "Well, you'll never beat him at surfing."

Chika shrugged. "I imagine that would be easy, since I can't surf."

Sora's eyes went wide. "What? You've never surfed before? I'll have to make sure to teach you!" He picked up his bags again. "But first, let's get this stuff taken care of. My room's right at the top of the stairs."

Chika shouldered her bag and followed him. As they entered Sora's room, Chika gasped in awe. Sora grinned. "Yes! They haven't touched any of my stuff!"

Miho peeked in and laughed. "Of course not." She pointed to the top of his dresser. "Well… actually, I did start up that for you."

Sora glanced appreciatively at the active blue lava lamp. "Great! Thanks!"

Miho smiled and withdrew. Chika gazed around. "This… this is… amazing!"

Sora laughed. "What, this? It's… well, yes, it is amazing, isn't it?"

Chika looked at her surroundings again. A wide window looked directly out on the beach, and the ocean beyond. To one side, a potted dwarf palm rose to the ceiling, obviously well cared-for. Beyond it was Sora's dresser, and on top of that sat a pair of lit lava lamps, flanking a small stone water fountain.

Chika walked over and examined it more closely. At the bottom was a wide, flat pool of water. In the back, a smooth wall rose up, presumably concealing pipework, and curled over at the top to form a broad shelf, from which water dripped at a quick pace. The sound was very soothing.

She turned and looked at the other side of the room. Much of the far wall was taken by an almost monolithic, heavily customized computer. Sora followed her eyes and chuckled. "Pretty cool, eh? It's mostly for gaming, but Renée-chan made me leave my controller back at the dorms, so…"

She nodded silently, and looked up above it. A long shelf ran along the wall, displaying a large set of trophies. Most of them were in the shape of a conch- surfing contests, presumably- but a few others were there, including a bronze shinai displayed proudly in the center. To complete the effect, several pictures hung above, each one showing Sora swimming, surfing, fishing, or simply hanging out with his friends and family.

Sora sighed and flopped down onto a huge black cushion in the center of the room. "So, what do you think?"

Chika laughed. "I already told you- amazing!" She blinked. "But, where's the bed?"

Sora snorted. "It's right here, under me!"

Chika blinked. "This?" She gently kicked the edge of the cushion.

Sora nodded. "Yeah. It's great."

Chika frowned. "That can't be good for your back…"

Sora shook his head. "No, it's fine. There's enough support." He edged over. "Come on, try it! There's plenty of room."

Chika blushed slightly as she lay down next to him. She shifted a little from side to side, and her eyes slowly closed. "Oh… that really is nice, Sora-kun."

Sora put his hands behind his head and lay back. "It's great for either relaxing or sleeping. I'm surprised more people don't have one."

Chika sighed and sat up. "So… what now?"

Sora sat up as well. "The beach, of course. You're being shown around by Oahu's number one beach bum, after all."

Miho poked in her head again. "And number one surfer." She pouted. "You're going to have to reclaim your King of the Beach title, though. Some punk named Ray decided to swipe it while you were gone."

Sora groaned. "I have to beat Dad to get my title back? Are you nuts?"

A loud laugh echoed up from below. "Sorry, Sora, but you're not getting your title back any time soon!"

Sora poked his head over the railing. "That's a dirty trick, Dad! You can't steal my title while I'm not around to defend it!"

Ray laughed again. "It's your own fault! You're the one who went off to your fancy college in Japan and left your title lying unprotected!"

Sora snorted. "Fine, then. The competition's in a week, right? I'll meet you there and take back what's rightfully mine!" He turned to Chika and gave a wide shrug. "Well, shall we head down? I can teach you to surf, if you want."

Chika shook her head. "I think I'll just stick to swimming. But I'd love to watch you surf."

Sora nodded, and pulled his shirt over his head. "Okay… well, I'm already wearing one, but do you have a swimsuit, Chika-chan?"

Chika nodded and unzipped her windbreaker to reveal the suit underneath it. Sora nodded. "Good. Well, let's go!"

The two ran down to the beach, pausing only long enough for Sora to grab his surfboard and a pair of towels. Sora let out a whoop as his feet hit the water. He tossed the surfboard into the water at his side, and turned to look at Chika. As she laid out her towel, she smiled back at him, and then slid off her windbreaker. Underneath, she wore a simple one-piece swimsuit. A black border ran along the top, and a thin black line just below her bust divided it into two colored regions: red above, purple below.

She smiled again, slid off her shorts, stretched, and ran to join Sora in the water. She giggled as she reached him. "What are you blushing about, Sora-kun?"

Sora blinked. "Blushing?" He looked at his reflection and was surprised to note he was blushing lightly.

Chika leaned towards him and grinned slyly. "Whatcha looking at, Sora-kun? Checking out the cute new girl?"

Sora yelped and went to step back. He tripped over his surfboard and went down with a splash. Chika put her hands on her hips and smiled down at him. _Hiruma-kun was right… he's easy to tease. And it's fun!_ She held out a hand. "Here. Let me help you up."

Sora took her hand and let her pull him to his feet. Chika grinned and fell backwards into the sand, pulling Sora down with her. He let out a yelp as he fell, and Chika giggled. He landed face-first on her stomach, and groaned softly. Chika sighed. "Aw… you missed."

Sora picked up his head and stared at her. "Have you been talking to Shizuka?"

Chika's eyes glinted. "Maybe." She glanced down at him. "Are you going to get off, or lie there all day?"

Sora sighed and got to his feet. Chika pouted. "Aw… I was hoping you would just lie there for a while." As he held out his hand to her, Sora smiled softly. _I bet Hiruma-kun put her up to this. It's so like him…_

Chika took his hand and let him lift her a little way, and then pulled down hard. For the second time in as many minutes, Sora toppled over on top of Chika, who giggled as his face came to a rest an inch from hers. "Oh, you missed again! Come on, I even made sure to make that part of my suit red so it's easy to see!"

Sora's eyes shimmered. "I know. How else do you think I could miss it each time?" He gently rolled over and lay next to her on the sand.

Chika laughed and turned her head to the side. "You're something else, Sora-kun."

Sora looked over at her. "Yeah, I suppose so. And you're cute."

Chika rolled her eyes. "I'm okay. You're the cute one, Sora-kun."

Sora blushed. "Me? Cute?"

Chika giggled. Her laugh suddenly became a shriek as a wave splashed over both of them. She spat out a mouthful of salt water and grimaced. "Well, that killed the moment…" she muttered.

Sora didn't hear her. He was staring out to sea. "Whoa… look at the swell!" he said in an awed voice.

Chika blinked. "Swell? All I see are a bunch of waves."

Sora laughed, and looked around for his surfboard. "That's what I mean. Look how big they are!" He caught sight of the board drifting out to sea and ran after it.

Chika splashed after him. "Big? They're not so…" She paused, as the closest wave began to pick up speed and power. "Oh… You're not going to ride that, are you Sora-kun?"

Sora grinned wildly and climbed up onto his board. "Stand back, Chika-chan, I'm going to surf."

Chika shook her head. "Amazing… I mean, I'll ski any slope you throw at me, but even I think you're crazy!"

Sora laughed. "This from the girl who makes sharp turns at full speed by pushing off of a tree? Come on, Chika-chan. Have a sense of adventure!"

Chika swam backwards towards the shore. "I'll let you have the adventure this time, if that's all right. I'll just watch."

Sora paddled towards the first wave, now towering high over his head. "Fair enough. After all, this would be a pretty hard wave to learn on." He stood up backwards on the board, facing Chika, and gave her a salute as the wave reached him.

Chika watched, fascinated, as Sora grinned and spun around to face the wave. As his board began to slide upwards, he spread his arms and crouched low, and then at the top he suddenly spun his board around and coasted sideways down the wave. Ahead of him, the wave began to break over. Sora laughed and carved his way down the wave and into the newly made tunnel, one hand scraping the outer wall and sending spray everywhere.

With a loud whoop, Sora shot out of the end of the tunnel, turned toward the beach, and then spun back around and headed back up the wave. This time, he jumped over the top. Chika gasped as he began to rise off the board. Sora waved to her, grinning like a maniac, and grabbed hold of the board with both hands as it fell back down towards the wave. Holding himself up by his hands, he surfed along the wave with his entire body in the air for a few seconds, before springing back up into a standing position. He let out another loud whoop, and headed back to where Chika waited, dumbfounded.

Chika shook her head, disbelieving. "Your sister wasn't kidding… there's no way anybody could beat you at surfing. I mean, that trick at the end was astounding!"

Sora grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "Well… actually, that's the first time I've ever pulled that one off. I generally end up wiping out when I do that."

Chika shrugged. "It's still an amazing thing to be able to do. If you were as good at skiing as you are at surfing, you would have crushed me back in Niseko."

Sora smiled. He glanced up at the horizon. "Another wave's coming… Hey, do you want to ride with me for this one?"

Chika blinked. "Ride with you? What do you mean?"

Sora crouched down on the board, and patted the tail end. "Just climb up, that's all. I can still handle it with two people onboard."

Chika blanched. "But…"

Sora grinned and held out a hand to her. "It's okay. I won't try anything crazy. We'll just ride this one, so all you have to worry about is keeping your balance."

Chika shook her head. "I'll fall…"

Sora took her hand. "I won't let you. Come on, it'll be fun!"

Chika blushed slightly as Sora helped her on to the board. "Well… okay, then."

Sora grinned, crouched, and began to paddle again. "Get ready… now!" He stood up and steered the board in a wide arc up the new wave's side. Chika gasped and wobbled a little, and grabbed onto Sora's shoulders to keep herself from falling. She blushed. "Sorry…"

Sora laughed and steered them along, riding slowly up and down the wave. "No, feel free to grab onto me if you're about to fall. Like I said, I won't let you get hurt."

Chika nodded and stood slowly back up. Ahead, another wave tunnel began to form. Sora let out a whoop and headed straight into it.

As the wave closed around them, Chika looked around in amazement. The sun shone through the falling water and threw shafts of light everywhere, and the wave curled and rippled all around them. It was as if nothing existed but Chika and Sora, riding down a wave that seemed to stretch into infinity…

The idea of an infinite wave made Chika dizzy, and she stumbled. She gasped as she wavered too far backwards and began to fall. _No… I knew it…_ She squeezed her eyes shut and prepared for the worst.

A firm hand suddenly closed on her wrist, and her eyes snapped open. Sora held her arm tightly, keeping her safely on the board. His smile was kind as he looked back at her. "I told you I wouldn't let you fall, Chika-chan. Don't be afraid."

As if to contradict him, the board, which had been veering slowly to the left, suddenly clipped the wall and spun like a top, tossing both Sora and Chika off in different directions. They plunged into the water, where the wave's chaotic flow whirled them both around in a confused mess.

Sora's head broke the water first. He stood up (the water was only about to his chest) and laughed. "Man, that was some wipeout! Pretty crazy, eh Chika-chan?"

There was no response, and Sora glanced around, confused. "Chika-chan?"

Something shifted under him. He looked down, saw a flash of red under his foot, and yelped. He stepped hurriedly off of Chika, knelt, and lifted her out of the water. He shook her gently. "Chika-chan?" He glanced around fervently for something he could do, and then shook her again. No response. He lifted her onto his board as it floated by and bent over her. "Sorry, but I guess this is the only way." He pinched her nose and bent towards her face.

As he leaned towards her, Chika's eyes flew open, sparkling wildly, and she sprayed a mouthful of salt water into Sora's face. "Easy there, Sora-kun. I'm not as easy a girl as that."

She sat up, and Sora immediately hugged her tightly. "You're okay! Geez, you had me worried!"

Chika laughed. "Sorry. It was just too much of a good joke to pass up." She slid off of the board and out of Sora's grip and began patting at herself. "Darn it… now my swimsuit's full of sand." She began adjusting it, moving slowly and deliberately to try and catch Sora's eye. Sora rolled his eyes, and she giggled. "By the way… you turned down what was essentially an invitation to bury your face in them, but then the first chance you get you step all over them? What sort of guy are you?"

Sora blushed crimson. "I was… stepping on…" He yelped. "Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to…"

Chika burst out laughing again. "Oh man… you're so easy! Don't worry about it, it's fine." She grinned wickedly. "Actually, it felt kind of nice…" She laughed at the look on Sora's face. "Relax, I'm joking. Mom would never let me be a part of something like that anyway." She pouted. "She wants me to become a respectable, 'proper' lady, whatever that means."

Sora raised his eyes to the heavens. "One of _those_, huh? I can't see you being like that at all."

Chika frowned. "Well… actually, I generally have to go along with what she says. It's annoying… I feel like I'm slowly turning into a little lap dog, or a china doll, or something stupid like that."

Sora shrugged. "You can repress someone's true nature, but you'll never really get rid of it." He grinned. "Don't worry too much. She can't get rid of your fiery spirit."

A figure waved to them from the beach. "Lunch is ready!" echoed Ray's voice. "Sora, Chika, come and get it!"

Sora grinned. "Ooh… I hope Mom cooked it. She's an amazing cook." He picked up the surfboard and headed for shore. "Come on, eat with us. We've always got way too much food anyway."

Chika paused at the water's edge. "Maybe I'd better try and meet up with my parents instead. I mean, I don't want to impose or anything…"

Sora took her hand and pulled her gently towards the house. "You're not imposing. Relax, Chika-chan."

Ray laughed. "Yeah, we're always happy to have new faces at the table. Besides, you're Sora's friend, right? Come on and eat."

Chika smiled. "Okay. Just let me get my stuff first, okay?"

Sora nodded, stuck his board upright in the sand, and grabbed his towel. "Okay. Make sure to come soon, though. There's lots of food but it goes away fast!"

Author's Note: And so, we end up meeting Sora's family. I was originally thinking of having Adam be the stereotypical, glasses-adjusting nerd (a la the infamous Gendou Ikari), but I think this look works better for him; he's very like Sora, but older and paler. (There is also a bit of Goli Matsumoto influence there, but mainly I wanted to have someone who is strong in battle- especially since his in-game avatar has the same appearance as him.)

Then there's Miho... forgive me, but I find the thought of a girl with a Japanese name- the only child in the family with one- is the one who is a typical American teenager, down to the spiked hair and the Linkin Park fandom. She's definitely a fun little character, though I don't think I'll have much opportunity to use her.

And, of course, the father of the gang, Ray. He's a native islander, and designed off of the classic image of one. Tall (he towers over the 5'10" Sora), huge in frame, and pleasantly fat, he can be pretty imposing, but he makes up for it by smiling all the time. Plus, he's a veteran surfer who has often taken Sora's title even when he was home. Heh... it's so much fun, designing more minor characters like these ones...


	7. Stargaze

Chika wrapped her own towel around her and sat on the beach for a few minutes, staring at the waves. _This guy… he's something else, all right._ She turned and watched Sora as he ran up the beach. _Fiery spirit, huh? Nobody outside of 'The World' has ever said that to me…_ She slid on her windbreaker but left it unzipped, and tied the towel around her waist like a skirt. She picked up her shorts and ran off after Sora.

Inside, Sora's entire family was already seated around a big round table. Chika slipped inside and stood at the door, watching. Sora's mother had set out a big spread, like a miniaturized version of a luau. Directly in front of her was Ray, laughing at a joke he'd just told as he cracked open a lobster claw. Miho sat on one side of him, tearing hungrily at a chicken drumstick. On the other side was Adam, relaxed for once and steadily working through a bowl of poi. Beside him was Sora, grinning happily and sipping at something from a half-coconut. In his free hand, he held a pair of chopsticks and picked at a dish of pineapple in front of him.

A tap on her shoulder made Chika jump. She turned around to see Sora's mother standing behind her with a large plate in her hands. She smiled. "You must be Chika-san. I'm Kira. It's all right. Come in and sit down."

Sora looked up. "Hey, Chika-chan. Come on, there's another seat right here." He motioned next to him.

Chika sat down hesitantly, and accepted the plate of food that Adam handed down to her. Sora nodded. "There you go." He looked over at her outfit. "You look good in that," he said simply.

Chika nodded. "Thanks." She pointed to the coconut in Sora's hand. "What's in that? It smells a little funny."

Sora grinned. "It's palm wine."

Miho smiled across the table at them. "Watch yourself, Chika. He's a total lightweight when it comes to alcohol."

Sora stuck out his tongue at her. "You're just jealous that you can't drink yet." He took a long sip and laughed. "I'm not so light…" A slight red tinge crept into his face, and he finished off the drink. "More, please," he called.

Kira laughed and poured him another bowl. "Careful now, Sora," she said.

Chika looked over at her for the first time. Although clearly in her mid-forties, she was still very beautiful. Her hair was long and brown, and her eyes were a soft grey. Chika smiled. "You've got the same eyes as Sora-kun, Kapalo-san."

Kira smiled. "Thank you, but that's not quite true. My eyes are like the rain, but Sora's are like the sun sparkling off of the sea. There's a light in them that never seems to go out."

Sora sighed as he finished another long draught of wine. "Yeah… Shizuka says they're like quicksilver." He grinned, a bit foolishly. "Pretty cool description, huh?"

Chika smiled. "It's pretty good. They do seem to shimmer a lot."

Sora chuckled. "Got a good look, did you?"

Chika rolled her eyes. "The second time you 'tripped', you wound up an inch from my face. Of course I got a good look."

Miho giggled. "Tripped? Yeah, right. I saw you two out there. Having fun?"

Sora rubbed the back of his head and laughed, a bit overly loud. "Not my idea, I swear!" He glanced over at Kira and held out his bowl, empty once again.

Adam raised a hand. "That's three you've had already, Michael. I'm not so sure that's wise." He pulled a bottle from under his chair and grinned. "Besides, why would a guy like you stick to wine, when there's a far superior drink to be had?"

Sora glanced at the bottle. "Rum? Pah! I never touch the stuff." He reached across and poured himself another bowl of palm wine.

Adam sighed. "As well you shouldn't. Technically, you're still underage." He wrenched open the bottle and took a swig.

Sora shrugged. "I've been drinking for over a year now. After all, I'm not underage in Japan. And besides, this is vacation. What's the harm in having a little fun?" He let out a loud laugh, his face now definitely red, and took another long sip.

Miho giggled. "Are you drunk already, Oniichan?"

Chika rolled her eyes. "He really is a lightweight."

Adam snorted. "Moron…" He laughed.

Sora blinked, and set down his already half-empty bowl. "Moron…? Them'sh fighting wordsh!" he slurred. He stood up. "I'll show you whoshe the better man here!"

He wobbled on his feet, and Chika quickly stood up and caught him. Miho giggled. "What are you after, Oniichan? I'll go get it."

Sora blinked. "It'sh in my shuitcase… the littleresht one…" He hiccupped.

Chika and Miho exchanged glances and giggled. Miho ran off to get Sora's suitcase, while Chika guided him gently back into his seat. He grinned up at her foolishly. "Alwaysh with the cute girlsh…" he muttered.

Chika rolled her eyes as Miho returned with the suitcase. Sora grinned, opened it, and pulled out a pair of small clay bottles. "Premium sake! Now we'll settle this!"

Adam slapped his forehead. "You've got to be kidding me…"

Miho rolled her eyes. "The slur's gone. Were you pretending to be more drunk than you really are again?"

Sora laughed. "Found out! Darn it!" He grinned. "Yeah… I'm still probably already getting drunk, though."

Adam sighed. "And knowing that, you're challenging me to a drinking contest. Do you have _any_ working brain cells left?"

Sora pulled the cork out of his bottle and slid the other one across to Adam. "Come on! Even though I'll probably lose to you, it's always fun to get good and drunk."

Adam stared at him for a minute, and then broke out laughing. "You're right… it is pretty fun!" He pulled out the cork of his own bottle. "All right… ready?"

Sora grinned at him. "Of course. One… two… three!" Both brothers seized their bottles on 'three' and began drinking them rapidly. Sora brought his down with a crash a second before Adam, and laughed. "Come on, is that all you can do?"

Adam snorted. "Of course not! I won't lose to a lightweight like you! Send the next one along!"

Chika glanced down at the suitcase. "Wow… you bought a lot of the stuff. What were you planning on doing with all of this?"

Miho giggled as she passed new bottles to Sora and Adam. "He always does that. Most of it he just leaves with us- Mom loves it- and then of course we use it at the Christmas party."

Chika leaned over and whispered in her ear as Sora and Adam began drinking again. "You guys celebrate Christmas, huh?"

Miho nodded. "Yup. I mean, Oniisan's the only really religious one, but who doesn't like a holiday that's basically an excuse to get lots of gifts from people?"

Chika smiled. "True…" She watched as Sora slammed down his empty jug, pointed, and shouted a challenge to Adam. "I thought those two hated each other, but they seem to be getting along fine right now."

Miho nodded and passed out the third round of sake. "Yeah. They used to get along just fine. But they had a sort of parting of the ways back during that Yokohama incident, and they never really made up." She pouted. "Oniisan's really stubborn. If he would just admit he made a mistake, following C.C. Corp so blindly, I'm sure Oniichan would forgive him. But he hasn't changed his position a bit since that day seven years ago."

Sora slammed down his third jug and panted, beet-red in the face and grinning like an idiot. "Come on! Miho, give us two of the big ones!"

Miho lifted a much taller jug onto the table, about the size of Ray's head. "Watch yourself, Oniichan," she said softly.

Sora laughed loudly and slapped her on the back. "Don't worry about me, Miho! I'll be fine!"

Chika lifted another large jug and slid it over to Adam. "So, he's a loud drunk," she mused.

Miho giggled. "And a happy drunk, too. Don't forget that."

Sora and Adam grinned at each other for a minute, and then each wrapped a rope handle around their hand. Lifting it, they began to gulp down the rice wine. Silence fell at the table, as everyone watched the battlers intently.

After about a minute, Sora broke off, gasping loudly, and slumped back in his chair. "I can't drink anymore…" he moaned happily.

Adam set down his own jug with a triumphant thump. "Hah!" he shouted, also red in the face. "I told you you couldn't beat me!"

Sora laughed dizzily, his eyes whirling. "Oh man… I'm totally wasted…"

Chika giggled. "Yeah, you are. Want to lie down or something?" She slid a little way back from the table.

Sora looked over at her. "Yeah! Thanks!" He slid over and let his head fall into her lap. "Ahhh…" he sighed.

The entire table burst into laughter as Chika blushed wildly. "I didn't mean for you to lie down there!" she yelped.

Sora blinked and looked up at her. "No? Oops… sorry. I thought…" He tried to sit up, but just fell back down again. "Oooh…"

Chika giggled. "It's okay. You can rest there if you want to."

Sora waved a hand. "Nah, I'll get up… Your mom wouldn't like it, anyway."

"I certainly would not!" came a stern voice. "Kapalo-san, please take your head out of my daughter's lap immediately!"

Chika turned around and gulped. "Mom… hi…"

Sora raised his head an inch and looked over. "Oh, hey… Mahi-san, Takeshi-san. Hang on a second…" He tried to struggle up again. Chika put her hands under his side and pushed up to try and help him, but suddenly her chair tipped back and dumped them both to the floor in a heap. They looked at each other for a second and then burst out laughing.

Mahi sniffed. "That's quite enough of that, young lady."

Takeshi groaned. "Aw, come on, Mahi. Let her have some fun once in a while."

Mahi glared at him. "Fun is all well and good, but it needs to be controlled. And this… this is…" She broke off and glared at Sora. "It appears I was right to distrust you, young man. Look at this. Underage drinking, unwanted advances towards my daughter… you may get away with such things with your friends, but you will not with me!"

Chika disentangled herself from Sora, stood up, and glared back at Mahi. "Shut up," she said in a cold voice.

Mahi jerked backwards as if she'd been struck. "Wh-what did you say?"

Chika clenched her fists. "Don't you dare talk about Sora-kun like that! He's a great guy!" She smirked. "And 'unwanted advances'? Listen to yourself! Who do you think you are, Queen Victoria? Besides, I was perfectly fine with what he was doing. So don't talk about him like he's making a pass at me or something."

Mahi was almost incandescent. "Young lady, that is enough!"

Takeshi put an arm out to hold her back. "Chika, you don't really mean that, right? I mean, you didn't really mean to tell your mother to 'shut up', did you?"

Sora managed to snatch a moment of soberness, sat up, and laid a hand on her arm. "Easy, Chika-chan. Don't be too hard on her."

Chika gasped. "What…" She grabbed her head. "What was I thinking? Sorry…" She bowed low to Mahi.

Mahi sniffed. "Well, in any case, we're leaving now." She turned to the door. "Come, Chika."

Chika made to follow, but Sora's hand gently tightened on her arm. "Come on, let her stay for a while…" The moment of soberness passed, and he fell back on the floor with a slack grin on his face.

Chika looked back at Sora with a sad expression on her face, but pulled from his grip and followed her mother out. Takeshi glanced around. "Sorry about that. Mahi's kind of strict about stuff like this."

Ray shrugged. "Well… I mean, you can all stay for lunch if you want." He grinned. "We've got plenty of rum and palm wine…"

Takeshi laughed. "Mahi would kill me if I did. She says I act like even more of an idiot than usual when I'm drunk." He waved. "Sorry your lunch got interrupted. I'll try and stop by sometime. I'd like to really meet Sora-kun's family." He sighed, and left.

Adam sighed, and looked down at Sora. "Somehow, being drunk isn't as much fun after that… Miho, could you get a bucket of water? I think Michael will want to get sober quickly."

Miho nodded. "Sure. But my Oniichan's name is Sora, not Michael." She ran out to the beach and got a bucketful of seawater.

Soon enough, Sora was completely sober again, and very annoyed at Mahi. "I can't believe she did that. Chika-chan was having fun here, and she decided to just come in and spoil it? Who even let her in, anyway?"

Ray shrugged. "She knew Chika was here already. Didn't they have a meeting set up?"

Sora's brow furrowed. "Yeah, but for three o'clock, not one-thirty. And…" He pounded his fist on the table. "Forget it. I'm going to go surf." He stalked angrily outside, yanked his board out of the sand, and stomped his way down to the water.

Sora spent the entire afternoon trying to surf. Some of the time, he was able to pull off spectacular moves and completely lose himself in the thrill of the sport, but mostly his disgust with Mahi's actions, coupled with the lingering effects of the alcohol in his system, caused him to pull off spectacular wipeouts. From the beach, Miho watched, and worried.

After a big dinner with everyone else, Sora seemed to calm down a bit, but he was still moody, and soon went out to watch the sunset. He wrapped a blanket around himself and sat, watching as the stars came out over the ocean.

About an hour later, Chika found him like that, staring stonily out at the stars. She sat down next to him and shook him gently. He turned and sighed. "Hey, Chika-chan."

Chika patted the towel under her. "You expected me to come?"

Sora blinked. "Not really. I was just too lazy to take that extra towel inside. It works out nicely, though." He pulled back one side of the blanket. "It gets pretty cold out at night. There's room under here; do you want to come in?"

Chika shook her head. "I'm fine. Besides…" She glanced at him.

Sora nodded. "Fair enough." He slid off the blanket and stared up at the stars.

Chika leaned back and looked up at the stars as well. "What's troubling you, Sora-kun?"

Sora sighed. "Why did you go along with Mahi-san? I know she's your mother, but… I mean, she was way out of line, and you even apologized to her!"

Chika smiled sadly. "That's how I usually am. When I told her to 'shut up'… I've never even thought of doing something like that before.

Sora blinked. "You never act like that around me. You saying 'shut up' to her was the only thing that you did that was like you- the 'you' I know, anyway."

Chika sighed. "There are only two places I can really display that fiery spirit you see in me. One is 'The World'."

Sora smiled. "Aha! I knew it! I knew I'd met you somewhere before!"

Chika giggled. "Ah, but can you figure out who I am, Haruko?"

Sora lit up. "Hey, not bad! But then again, I'm not that hard to spot. Now then… just which one are you?"

Chika glanced up at the sky. "The stars are beautiful tonight."

Sora rolled his eyes. "I'm guessing that subtlety isn't your strong point, Chika-chan." He gazed upwards. "Someone named after a star… well, Antares-jiisan is an annoying old man- there's no way you're him. And I can't see you being Sirius-dono, either. Let's see…"

Chika pointed up. "There's the Big Dipper. Do you know the names of the handle stars?"

Sora blinked. "Sure I do. There's Alioth on the right, and the companions Mizar and Alcor, and then last is…" He glanced over at Chika and burst out laughing. "Man, I'm an idiot. Hello, Alkaid-chan."

Chika lit up, and tackled him in a flying hug. "Yeah! You finally figured it out, you goofball!"

Sora laughed. "I can't believe I didn't see that. You even look like her, for crying out loud!"

Chika smiled. "It took you long enough. But hey, I knew you'd just give me that goofy grin of yours when you figured it out. It was worth it to see the look on your face."

Sora sat up, with Chika still hugging him tightly. "Now that I think about it… I see what you're saying about letting your fiery spirit run wild in 'The World'. How you were that day we skied together and how Alkaid-chan was the day she claimed the Emperor's title from Haruko… they are the same. I just don't see why I didn't see it sooner." He smiled. "Yet… someone as demure as you doesn't seem like the type to hug a boy she doesn't know very well. What's up?"

Chika let go and blushed. "Because… the other place where I can show my spirit… is wherever you are, Sora-kun. That's why I was able to say those things even to my own mother, and why I was able to hug you like that. I don't understand it myself… but being near you gives me strength."

She sat down on her towel, and Sora seated himself on the one next to her. "So, where are your parents, though?"

Chika lowered her head. "Only my dad knows I'm out here. I snuck out without telling my mom." She looked over at Sora. "She's going to be mad as hell when I get back. So… is it all right if I stay out here and watch the stars with you?"

Sora nodded. _Did she really want to see me that badly?_ he thought. Out loud, he said, "Of course." He lifted the blanket. "Like I said, though, it gets cold out here. Do you want to share?"

Chika shook her head and lay down on the towel. "No. I've got my jacket and some long pants on; I should be fine."

Sora shrugged, lay down, and pulled the blanket over himself. "As you wish. Let me know if you start getting cold, though."

Chika nodded, and then yawned. "Geez… I'm kind of jet-lagged."

Sora laughed. "Don't worry. If you fall asleep, I promise you won't wake up bound and gagged in my closet or something."

Chika giggled softly, and closed her eyes. "You idiot…"

About ten minutes later, Sora looked over to notice that Chika was shivering slightly in her sleep. He smiled, stood up, and covered her with the blanket. He knelt and kissed her forehead gently. "Good night, Chika-chan," he whispered, and then sat with his back to his surfboard, smiling up at the night sky as he began to nod off as well.

Chika opened her eyes a crack and looked over at him. _Hiruma-san was right,_ she thought. _He really does love me, even if he hasn't realized it yet._ She closed her eyes. _He really is a loving person…_ she thought, as she drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note: Yes, that's right... he had to be practically told outright who Alkaid was. That's Sora for you... a total idiot. (For you DnD fans out there, his INT score is a six.) As for why Sora isn't getting cold like Chika was, he's simply used to the island nights from living there for so long.

One more thing... I do so love writing drinking scenes and drunken characters...


	8. Free Spirit

The next morning, Chika woke first and looked over at Sora. In the grey light of dawn, she saw him sleeping still propped up against his surfboard. She rose, wrapping the blanket around her as she came towards him. "How does he stand it?" she muttered.

Sora stirred slightly as she knelt by him, but remained asleep. He snored softly, and Chika giggled. _Drat… seeing him when he's asleep just makes him more irresistible…_

At the sound of her laugh, Sora opened his eyes slowly and smiled. "Chika-chan… hey…"

Chika blinked. "Sorry… did I wake you?"

Sora shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine." He stood and glanced up and down the beach. "I'm surprised your mom isn't here already, looking for you. I guess Takeshi-san managed to calm her down… somehow."

Chika gulped. "Yeah… Anyway, aren't you cold?"

Sora nodded. "Of course. I'm more used to it than you, though. I mean, you live in Hokkaido, but you would never sleep outside of your house in winter no matter what you had, right? I sleep out here sometimes. It's nice and peaceful."

Chika shrugged. "Well…" She opened up the blanket. "There's… room under here," she said, hesitantly. "Do you want to…?"

Sora smiled and hugged her. "Why the change of heart?" he asked softly.

Chika wrapped the blanket around them both. "I don't know… why the kiss last night?"

Sora blinked. "Oh… you were awake for that?"

Chika giggled. "Of course."

Sora slowly sat down, guiding Chika onto the towel next to him, and adjusted the blanket so it wrapped snugly around both of them. "Well… I honestly don't know why I did that. It just seemed right at the time." He gazed out over the sea. "It's almost dawn…" he mused. "Want to watch it with me?"

Chika smiled and leaned gently against him. "Yeah… I'd like that."

Sora put his arm around her. "Me too."

They sat in silence for a long time, as the sky began to lighten and the stars went out, one by one. Suddenly, a harsh shout broke the stillness. "Chika! There you are. Get away from there this instant!"

Chika looked up the beach and gasped. "No… it's her!"

Sora tightened his grip on her slightly. "It's all right. I'm right here."

Mahi came running up the beach and skidded to a stop in front of the two. "You! I might have known Chika was with you. I turn my back for one second, and look at the two of you! Do you know how this looks? Sneaking out late at night, running around with someone you barely know… Look at him! He's wild, totally mad, disreputable…"

Chika slid out of Sora's arms and stood up, letting the blanket fall to the ground. "What did I tell you… about insulting Sora-kun?!" Her voice was cold, and her eyes blazed. "I am not you, Mom. I'm my own person."

Mahi grit her teeth. "Stop this and come with me at once!"

Chika took a step back. "No. We're only just beginning; why would I stop?"

Mahi's eyes flew wide. "How dare you speak to me like that?"

Chika glared. "How? Easily. You've been crushing me down, forcing me to act like your prim little china doll for too long. And I've been cowing to your will for too long, too." She clenched her fists. "It's over. I won't let you make me hide my burning spirit any longer!"

Mahi sneered. "Burning spirit? That's no way for a girl of your age to behave." She took a step forward. "I can see I'll have to take drastic measures to cure you of this. I was hoping it was just a phase, but…"

Chika stood her ground. "No. That spirit is the real me. And Sora-kun is the only one who's ever seen it in me, outside of 'The World'."

Mahi's sneer deepened. "Ah, I thought it might be that. Well, perhaps I shall cut off your account, then, and see how long this madness persists."

Chika backpedaled. "You wouldn't!"

Sora got to his feet. "Don't you dare. I'll destroy you if you do."

Mahi let out a high, prim laugh. "You idiot gamers and your characters. Why would you get so worked up over a game?"

Sora clenched his fist. "A person's character in 'The World' is their alter ego, the one thing more important to them than any other. Closer than a father or mother, than a sister or brother, even closer than a husband or wife. A person's character is another part of themselves. As it is for Haruko and me, so it is for Chika-chan and her character Alkaid. I won't let you take that away."

Chika stared. "Sora-kun…" She nodded firmly, and stepped forward. "He's right. I've poured my heart and soul into creating Alkaid. I won't let you just destroy her."

Mahi snorted. "Net addicts, both of you. I'll have to cure you of that as well."

Chika's eyes flared. "I don't expect you to understand. You haven't poured that much of yourself into anything you do. Not even the care of your own daughter."

Sora stepped up next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Besides… it's not 'The World' that's given her that fiery spirit. All it does is let her express it."

Mahi stared down her nose at him. "Hmph. Of course I don't blame a ridiculous game for her illness. The one I blame is you!"

Sora smiled. "Oh, is that so?"

Mahi glared at him, her composure beginning to slip. "Ever since you and she met at Niseko, Chika has been slowly degenerating into little better than a common hooligan like you. It's obvious that associating with you is the cause. I should never have let her keep contact with such an uncontrolled, disreputable _gaijin_…"

She was cut off when a small fist flew through the air and halted barely a millimeter from her face. She stumbled back. "What…?"

Chika stood forward, fists raised. "You didn't just call him that, did you? _Gaijin_? Who do you think you are, saying something like that to Sora?" She caught herself. _What? Did I just… call him only 'Sora'? Oh man… I really am falling for him…_

Mahi glared at her. "Over a boy like that, you'd strike your own mother? Just who is he to you?"

Chika smiled softly. "Sora?" She stepped back to him, took his arm, and pulled it gently around her. "I love him."

Sora smiled and put his other arm around her, holding her gently to him. "I thought so. Did you only just realize it?"

Chika giggled. "It's been coming to me slowly, but I guess so." She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "You're the only person who's ever seen me for what I am. And you're one heck of a rival, too."

At the sight of Chika nestling in Sora's arms, Mahi's composure shattered completely. "Chika! Get away from there!"

Chika smiled and hugged Sora's arm tighter to her. "No. I like it here, with him. I can really be myself around him."

Mahi gnashed her teeth. "Kapalo! Boy, let go of her!"

Sora gently leaned his chin against the top of Chika's head. "Why would I? She wants to be here with me. You're the only one who wants it otherwise."

In a rage, Mahi darted forward, seized Chika's arm, and began dragging her up the beach. Caught off guard, she slipped out of Sora's arms before either could react. Chika looked back at him, fearful. "Sora!" she called.

Sora stood stunned for a moment, and then dashed off after them. "Chika-chan! Don't worry!" he called. "I won't let you get hurt!"

Chika nodded. "I know." She set her feet in the sand and pulled hard against Mahi. "I'm not going to give up now, either!"

Mahi reached back and slapped her hard with her free hand. "Be quiet! You're completely out of control! Your father and I will have some choice words for you when we get back!"

Sora's eyes grew huge as he saw the slap. "You filth…" he spat, and charged forward. Within moments, he had caught up to them, and caught Mahi's wrist in an iron grip. "Let go of her. Now."

Mahi glared at him. "Stay away from my daughter, boy!" She tugged at her arm, but Sora held it fast. "And unhand me! That hurts!"

Sora chuckled darkly, and turned his eyes on hers. "Really? Well, if you think this hurts… how will you bear it when I actually try to hurt you?"

Mahi stepped back. "Your eyes… like a storm…" She grit her teeth and struck him hard on the side of the head. "Let go at once! I will not allow my daughter to be around a person as dangerous as you!" She drew back her fist and hit him again and again.

Sora ignored the pummeling of her fist. "I won't allow a heartless person like you to keep hurting her. You don't understand a thing about her, or about me. Well, here's something we both share: we brook no masters. So if you think I'll let you go on trying to beat her down until she submits, well…" He broke off and gave a dark laugh.

Chika nodded and tried again to pull away. "You've never tried to understand me. All you know is what you want me to be. Well, I don't want to be you. I want to be free to let my spirit burn, like Sora is. I'm nobody's pet!"

Mahi glared at Chika and struck her in the stomach. "I told you to be quiet!"

Sora put one arm around Chika and held her up as her knees buckled. "And I told you to let go of her. Now…" He stepped forward and began forcing Mahi's arm back and down. "Let me make it clearer for you. Either you let go of Chika-chan, or I'll break your arm like a twig. And maybe a few fingers too, for good measure."

Mahi groaned in pain and tried to step back, but Sora moved to keep up with her. She ground her teeth, and then kicked first Sora and then, when Sora's grip only tightened, Chika hard in the stomach. She swore loudly, released Chika, and ran off, pulling her arm away as Sora moved to catch Chika.

Ignoring Mahi completely, Sora knelt by Chika, holding her gently. "Are you all right?" he said softly.

Chika tried to sit up, and gasped with the pain. "Ow… I can't believe she did that…" She sighed and let Sora hug her to him. "You know… I really do love you. I wasn't just saying that."

Sora laughed. "I know." He glanced out to the horizon, where a single bright point of light shone out. "Mercury's up. That means the sun can't be far behind." He gently lifted her and carried her back to where they had sat before.

Chika hugged him weakly, still winded from being struck in the belly. She blinked. "This smell…" She leaned her head against his. "Does your hair always smell like the sea?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah. That's what the others tell me, anyway."

He sat down on the towel and set Chika down next to him. She smiled and climbed gently into his lap. Sora blinked, stunned for a moment, but then smiled and wrapped the blanket around both of them, holding it so that his arms were around her. Chika sighed happily and leaned back against him.

Sora smiled and rested his chin on her shoulder, so that their faces were next to each other, watching as a tiny sliver of sun appeared over the horizon. A gentle scent wafted across his nose, and he smiled. "Well, that's interesting…" he murmured.

Chika blinked. "Huh?"

Sora's smile softened. "Do you know what a lotus symbolizes?"

Chika stared out at the rising sun. "Well… it means a lot of things, doesn't it?"

Sora laughed. "True. Among other things, though, the lotus is said to embody all four of the old elements- fire, air, earth, and water."

Chika shrugged. "So?"

Sora grinned. "Well… what most people don't seem to know is that a lotus is actually a kind of water lily."

Chika nodded. "I know that. But what's this all about? Why the sudden interest in the lotus flower?"

Sora chuckled. "I'm getting there… Anyway, the lotus means a lot in my eyes too. Like any flower of the earth, it's very beautiful. But, a water lily is a very special kind of flower. It's pure, held above the muddy earth, and yet very strong, thriving in a place where other flowers can't even survive. And it's also completely free, free to float and go where it will." He smiled gently. "Beauty, purity, strength, and most of all freedom… the lotus combines all of these wonderful qualities."

Chika pouted. "Yeah, I guess, but…" She broke off, suddenly understanding. "That's… me? My scent?" She turned to him, her eyes wide.

As Sora's smiled widened, the sun poked fully over the horizon, and its rays lit upon his face. "Yeah. Don't you think that fits with you?"

Chika stared at him, blushing in the red dawn light. "Sora… you really see me that way?" She turned away. "You're a better fit for a lotus than me."

Sora gently turned her back. "No, I'm not. Maybe it would fit me too, but you're a perfect match for it. You've got the same fiery free spirit that I have."

Chika hugged him tightly. "I'm honored… Nobody's ever said anything like that to me, here or in 'The World'. Thank you…"

Sora nodded. Something caught the corner of his eye, and he looked up. "Wow… that's a nice wave out there…"

Chika laughed. "Typical Sora. You've got a cute girl hugging you and sitting on your lap, and all you can think about is the waves." She leaned back and looked out. "Oh. I guess I can forgive you for that, though. That one's really impressive."

Sora laughed, and let the blanket fall to the ground. "Wait here. I'm a surfer at heart; I can't let a wave like that pass me by."

Chika laughed. "You're definitely one-of-a-kind, Sora." She paused, then let go and stood up. "I… I'll come with you."

Sora blinked, and stood up slowly. "You really want to? I mean, after what happened yesterday?"

Chika smiled. "It's because of what happened yesterday that I know I don't have to be afraid." She bit her lip. "I've always been afraid of big waves before. But just being around you gives me courage."

Sora took her hand, and tucked his surfboard under his free arm. "Okay. Let's go, then!" They ran out into the water. Sora paddled the board as Chika held onto the end. Once they were out far enough, Sora pulled himself up into a crouch and helped Chika up beside him. "Okay. Now, your balance isn't so good yet, so when we get onto the wave, hold on tight to me, all right?"

Chika nodded. "Right." She looked back at the shore. "We're pretty far out, huh?"

Sora shrugged. "Low tide. It's maybe about fifteen feet deep here." He paddled some more, as a wave came towards them and began to crest. "Ready?" he called, standing up.

Chika stood up and put her arms around his chest. "Yeah," she said softly.

Sora laughed wildly. "Then here we go!" He turned the board and carved his way up the crest.

On the shore, Mahi watched them disapprovingly. "How dare she… Look at her! Running around with a boy three years older than her, sitting in his lap, clinging to him like a vine…"

Takeshi grinned. "Aw, let her have her fun. She's happy, and they looked nice together. I haven't seen Chika this happy in a while."

Mahi sniffed. "It won't last long." She rubbed her arm. "I can't believe he tried to break it…"

Takeshi snorted. "I can. You were being even more of an idiot than usual. And you hit Chika." He shook his head. "I can't believe that. You struck our daughter. What's wrong with you?"

Mahi's eyes flashed. "I know what's best for her. If she won't do it willingly, I'll make her by force. That's my duty as a parent."

Takeshi watched Sora. "I've got a feeling he would disagree. And so do I."

Mahi laughed softly. "You're a lazy fool, and he's a _gaijin_. What do either of you know about what's good for a young girl?"

Out on the wave, Sora grinned madly and launched them both off the top of the wave, jumping in a small arc. The sound of both teens whooping with delight echoed across the water. Takeshi sighed as he watched them. "Maybe I don't know what's 'best' for Chika, but I do know this. Sora-kun has been better for her in the few months they've known each other than you have over all sixteen years of her life."

Mahi glared at him. "What are you talking about?"

Takeshi glared back. "Look at her! She's been too afraid to go into water deeper than her chest for years, but a day with Sora-kun let her totally overcome her fears. Meanwhile, all you've ever done for her is completely suppress any hint of individuality or free spirit!"

Mahi laughed primly. "Individuality? Free spirit? How will those things help her find a good husband?"

Takeshi sighed. "She might have already found one." He pointed out onto the water, as Sora and Chika jumped another wave, and then paddled out to catch the next one.

Mahi's eyes popped. "Him? He's a bum! A middle-class, lazy idiot with no useful talents! My Chika deserves a better life than that."

Takeshi shook his head. "Look at them together! How could you ask for a better person for her?" He glared. "Money isn't everything, you know. She's happy without it."

Mahi lowered her head. "I want her to have everything she wants, and everything she deserves. I don't want her to grow up poor like I did."

Takeshi hugged her gently. "She already does have what she wants. Let me tell you what she said to me last night about him." As Chika jumped off the board and took a rest, and Sora performed tricks for her, he began to recount the last night's events.

_Chika took one last look around her room, and then quietly slid the window open. She slid one leg out, silently thankful her room was on the ground floor._

_Takeshi poked his head in and laughed softly. "Sneaking out, Chika?"_

_Chika saw him and yelped. "I… I…"_

_Takeshi slipped into the room and closed the door. "You're going to go and see him, right? You've been trying to get back to Sora-kun the whole afternoon."_

_Chika lowered her eyes. "I… I just want to see him again. I promised Hiruma-kun I would keep an eye on him."_

_Takeshi smiled. "It's not just because of your promise, is it?"_

_Chika laughed softly. "No… I guess not."_

_Takeshi sat down on the bed, and motioned for Chika to sit by him. "What's up? You know Mahi's gonna kill you when she finds out you're gone. Is he really that important to you?"_

_Chika sat by him and sighed. "Well, first of all… remember that guy Haruko I keep telling you about? Well, I found out that Sora-kun and Haruko are the same guy."_

_Takeshi lit up. "Really? Well, that's cool. Does he know you're Alkaid?"_

_Chika shook her head. "No. He's an even bigger idiot than you, remember?"_

_Takeshi laughed. "Oh yeah… I forgot. Are you going to tell him?"_

_Chika grinned. "Nah… I think that stupid grin he'll have when he figures it out will be worth the wait."_

_Takeshi shrugged. "So, what else?"_

_Chika blushed. "Well… he loves me. At least, that's what Hiruma-kun and I think. He doesn't seem to realize it yet, but all the signs are there."_

_Takeshi grinned. "And maybe that's not all that's between you, is there?"_

_Chika laughed. "Yeah… I think I'm falling for him too."_

_Takeshi put an arm around her, and pretended to wipe a tear away from his eye. "My little Chika is all grown up…" He grinned. "He's a nice guy."_

_Chika laughed. "You have no idea… He's an amazing person. He's kind, funny, free-spirited… I mean, if you give him reason to hate you, he'll tear you apart in an instant, but there's virtually nobody he hates. Hiruma-kun says he's really loving at heart, and I've seen that firsthand." She paused. "And then… I don't know why, but around him I'm never afraid. I know he'll protect me no matter what."_

_Takeshi patted her head. "Okay, then. Go to him, if you really feel that way about him. I'll cover for you."_

_Chika kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Dad." She ran to the window and slid outside. Takeshi watched her run off. "Love…" he muttered. "I'm glad you found it."_

Takeshi sighed. "You see? He's perfect for her."

Mahi took a step back. "She's sixteen! She's much too young!"

Takeshi shrugged. "For marriage? Obviously. But why would you think she's too young to take a boyfriend?"

Mahi grit her teeth. "And what about this Shizuka person? I thought she was his girlfriend?"

Takeshi shrugged. "From what Chika says, there are quite a few girls who are in love with him. I don't know much about him… but I do know this. He'll do whatever he can to make her happy, and he will never do anything to hurt her."

"That's right," said a voice behind them. Takeshi and Mahi turned to find Miho standing behind them. "Oniichan's always devoted to everyone. He may officially call Shizuka-san his girlfriend, but really he gives all of himself to all those he loves."

Mahi snorted. "Rubbish. Nobody is like that."

Miho glared. "Oniichan is, even if nobody else is."

Author's Notes: Ooh, real life fight scene... Before anybody gets upset, fearing I'm breaking continuity by having Alkaid fall for Haruko... I'm not. Watch, everything will fall into place soon enough.

And after this, let nobody doubt I am evil to my characters. Everyone who's played this game will remember exactly what happens to Alkaid soon... and now consider that I knew about that before I even started writing Segment 1... Yeah. I did.

Ph33r my m4dn33s!


	9. Wipeout

Meanwhile, out on the ocean, Chika climbed up onto the board again. "How long have you been doing this, anyway?" she asked.

Sora paddled them to the next wave. "Since I was five. There's a reason I'm King of the Beach." He stood up. "Okay, ready?"

Chika grabbed on tightly. "Ready."

Sora laughed and pointed to his left. "Look, a tunnel! There hasn't been one of those for a while!" He steered them towards it. "This is going to be great. Keep your eyes open, Chika-chan, there's going to be quite a show!"

As they dove into the tunnel, and Sora ran one hand along the far end of the wave, Chika gasped. The rays of the rising sun broke through the wave's surface, turning the waters a fiery orange, and the drops of spray coming from where Sora's hand hit the wave caught the light and shimmered in a rainbow of colors. "Rainbow drops…" she murmured.

Sora turned his head to her, his mouth wide and smiling. "Amazing, isn't it? I used to love coming out here at dawn in the summer and just doing this."

Chika smiled back. "It's wonderful… Thanks for showing me. I'll have to pay you back next time you're in Hokkaido."

Sora shrugged. "How about some time in February?"

Chika hugged him tightly from behind. "It's a date, then!"

Sora burst out laughing. "As you wish, Chika-chan." He turned back to the wave. Suddenly, the board struck something hard and swerved hard to the right. "What the…?!" Sora shouted, as the board tipped up. "Hang on, Chika-chan!"

Chika looked down, and caught sight of the thing that had bumped them. "Oh… no…!" As Sora turned and went to pull her closer to him, she forced his head down and tucked it into her chest, holding him tightly to her.

They crashed into the water, and almost immediately smashed into something that made Chika yelp and let go of Sora, who flew onwards, buffeted by the wave. He struggled his way back and to the surface and looked around. "Chika-chan!" he called. He began swimming towards the abandoned board, and grimaced at the large gouge on the bottom. "What did that?" He stopped as his foot kicked something hard. "A rock?"

His eyes flew wide as he realized what had happened. "She was… shielding me?" He dove into the water, forced his eyes open against the stinging salt, and looked down. Chika was lying on the seafloor, about two feet below his hanging feet. Without hesitation, he dove, scooped her into his arms, and carried her back to the surface. Laying her on the board, he shook her, but she didn't answer. He grabbed the board and swam back to shore as quickly as he could. "Come on, Chika-chan. Hang in there!" he muttered, over and over.

At the shore, Mahi and Takeshi ran over as Sora knelt and laid one ear against her chest. "Damn it… nothing!" He laid his hands on her chest, one over the other, and thrust downward several times. When nothing happened, he pinched her nose, forced her mouth open, and blew into it.

Mahi stared. "What are you…? Chika, what's wrong? Y-you, boy, get away from her!"

Sora raised stormy eyes to her and glared. "Do you have lifeguard training?"

Mahi blinked. "N-no."

Sora began compressing Chika's chest again. "Do you even know CPR?" When Mahi shook her head, he added, "Then kindly get the hell away from me and let me handle this."

Miho knelt beside him. "Oniichan… is she okay?"

Sora blew into Chika's mouth again. "I don't know. There's a big rock out there, and she whacked her head against it pretty hard." He pounded on her chest. "Come on, Chika-chan! Breathe!"

Miho nodded. "Is there anything I can do?"

Sora glared at her for a moment, and then his eyes softened. As he continued giving Chika CPR, he said, "Call an ambulance. At the moment, that's all we can do, except hope…" He took a very deep breath and blew into Chika's mouth again, tears beginning to fall from his eyes.

Miho nodded. "It's all right. I already did when I saw her go under."

Sora gave her a feeble thumbs-up, took another breath, and continued blowing into Chika's lungs.

Beneath him, Chika twitched slightly, and then began to cough. Sora hastily drew back as she sat up and began coughing up seawater. "Ugh…" she muttered as she finished. She slowly opened her eyes, and spat out another mouthful of seawater. "Sora?"

Sora threw his arms around her, beaming as happy tears ran down his face. "Chika! You're all right!"

Chika coughed again, and felt the back of her head. "What… happened? I remember… wiping out…" She drew her hand back and examined it. "Blood?"

Sora immediately went behind her and parted her hair. "Ow… that looks nasty. You've got a pretty big gash back there. But it doesn't look like you damaged your skull. Thank goodness… that was a hard hit." He nodded to Miho, who ran to get a clean cloth.

Chika's eyes widened. "That's right! The rock!"

Sora smiled, and hugged her again. "That's right. You saved me out there. Thank you so much." He sighed. "Just be more careful, okay? You could have killed yourself doing that."

Chika let him lay her gently back on the surfboard. "If I hadn't done that, we both might have hit the rock. Then we'd both have been goners."

Sora nodded. "Yeah… but where the heck did that rock come from?" He shook his head. "Never mind. You should lie still, Chika. You were out for a long while." Miho returned with the cloth, and he slid it under her head so it pressed against the gash.

Chika smiled. "Yeah, but you saved me. Just like I saved you, right?" She laughed. "Say… did I hit my head harder than I thought, or did you just call me 'Chika'?"

Sora blinked. "Huh… I did, didn't I? Now why'd I do that?"

Chika smiled. _Because you love me,_ her mind said. "Who knows?" she said out loud. "But don't stop. It sounds nice."

Mahi twitched. "Chika!"

Sora looked up at her. "Don't start that again, Mahi-san. It hasn't even been half an hour since our last little encounter."

Mahi clenched her fists, but then sighed and bowed. "I… I believe I owe you an apology, Kapalo-san. I can see now you truly are devoted to those you care about." She extended a hand. "I will accept you as someone worthy of my daughter."

Sora laughed and shook her hand. "Is that so? That means a lot, coming from someone like you. Thanks."

Chika laughed, and then coughed. "Ow… why does my chest feel like someone's been pounding on it?"

Sora blinked. "Um… that's what I was doing. CPR, remember?"

Chika grinned wanly. "Oh, were you? Well? Did you get a good feel?"

Sora blinked. "Feel? What are you…?" He suddenly understood, and turned bright red. Then he laughed. "No, actually. I was a bit preoccupied."

Chika crossed her arms. "Hmmm… that's too bad. I might give you another chance, if you're good…"

Mahi looked scandalized. "Chika! What are you thinking?"

Chika raised a hand. "I'm just kidding around with him. Hiruma-kun said that he likes it when Shizuka-san does it, so I figured…"

Mahi sniffed. "Fine. But that's really no way for a nice young girl to behave."

Sora blinked. "I thought we were past this. Chika's no china doll, no matter how much you want her to be."

Mahi sighed. "Just because she's not like me doesn't mean she should be running around, doing things like that."

Chika threw an annoyed glance at her, and then pressed the back of one hand to her forehead in a theatrical gesture. "Sora… I think I need some more air…" she gasped out.

Sora blinked. "Air? What are you talking about?"

Miho raised one eyebrow. "You mean, like CPR again?"

Chika rolled her eyes. "Forget it… man, you're dense, Sora. Just come closer."

Sora blinked. "Closer?" He scooted forward on his knees. "Like this?"  
Chika ran a hand down her face. "No, not like that. Bend down closer to my face."

Sora cocked his head, but leaned down until they were looking into each others' eyes. "Um… what are you asking me to do, Chika?"

Chika laughed. "Oh, come on, Sora. Figure it out, would you?" She smiled, and whispered, "A lotus adrift on the sea. Does that help?"

Sora's eyes widened. "Oh, now I get it. Geez, why not say so?" He glanced up. "But… I mean, Mahi-san is right there."

Chika shrugged. "So? Let her watch, if she wants to."

Mahi started. "What are you two…?"

A loud, wailing siren sounded out as an ambulance pulled up at the head of the beach. Two men jumped out with a stretcher and ran towards them, as Miho waved to call them over. Chika pouted. "Aw… well, it's now or never, Sora." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

Sora lifted her into his arms. "Sure you want this?"

Chika's soft brown eyes stared into his. "More than anything."

As Sora bent towards her, the two ambulance men ran up. "Is she the one?" one asked brusquely.

Sora looked up, and sighed. "Yeah, this is her." He lifted her up and placed her gently on the stretcher. "She whacked her head hard against a submerged rock, and lost consciousness for a while."

The other stretcher holder nodded. "Breathing?"

Sora nodded. "It was stopped for a while, but I managed to bring her back with CPR."

Chika tugged at his arm. "Hey, what about…?"

Sora laughed. "Don't worry. We've got the whole vacation to work with." He bent and pecked her gently on the cheek. "There. Maybe that'll hold you over."

Chika sighed, and folded her hands on her chest. "I doubt it… Well, take me away, I guess."

The two men with the stretcher nodded and carried her back towards the ambulance. Sora followed closely at her side. At the ambulance, he nodded to her. "I'll have to direct your parents to the hospital. I'll meet you there, okay Chika?"

Chika pouted. "Fine. But you'd better have a kiss waiting for me when we get a chance together, okay?"

Sora laughed. "Fair enough." He waved as the ambulance doors shut, and the ambulance drove off.

Later on in the evening, after the others had come and gone and the doctors had pronounced her fine but insisted she stay overnight "for observation", whatever that was supposed to mean, Chika's cellphone rang. She picked it up and nodded when she saw the caller's identity. She flipped it open with a quick motion of one hand and put it to her ear. "Hey, what's up?"

The voice on the other end was hesitant. "How is he?"

Chika laughed. "Pretty good, actually. We had a lot of fun last night and this morning together."

The other voice laughed. "Oh, is that so? What happened in between?"

Chika frowned. "Before? My mom decided he was too wild for me." She broke out laughing. "Actually, we had fun for a bit before that, too. He invited me over for lunch, and proceeded to get utterly drunk."

Another laugh. "Uh, oh… I hear he's crazier than usual when he's drunk."

Chika giggled. "Yeah… and by the way, he's a total lightweight. His brother Adam drank him under the table without breaking a sweat." She sighed, and lay back. "It's okay, though. He's a loud, giggly drunk. And a total idiot." She grinned slyly, although the other person couldn't see it. "I asked if he wanted to lie down, and he went and plopped his head in my lap. It was hysterical!"

The other person sighed. "He did, huh?"

Chika caught the tone and smiled. "Hey now, chin up."

"I know," the voice said. "So, from what I've heard of your mother, I can imagine what she did. But what about this afternoon?"

Chika sighed. "The two of us went surfing together- he took me on his board- but we wiped out. He was going to hit his head on a rock, so I got in between him and it."

"What?!" Chika winced and held the phone away from her ear. "Didn't you listen to anything I told you? He's going to break if people keep getting hurt protecting him!"

Chika's eyes were steady. "He'll never break, as long as he has all of us."

The voice raged on. "And what if he loses one of us because we keep insisting on taking bullets for him?" It stopped suddenly. "Wait… you included yourself in that…"

Chika laughed. "Sorry, Akiko-san. I'm falling for Sora too."

Akiko groaned. "Geez… I sent you out to keep an eye on him, and you end up becoming his third girlfriend. Great…"

Chika giggled. "You know, I was surprised to get that call from you. Shizuka-san, or maybe Hiruma-san, sure, but you?"

Akiko sighed. "Chika-san… do you know about what he did for me?"

Chika blinked. "Um… some random guy attacked you, and he saved you, right?"

Akiko shook her head. "Not exactly. That wasn't a random mugger. It was a…" She flinched. "A predator was after me. Sora came just in time."

Chika's eyes widened. "No way…"

Akiko nodded. "Unarmed, and still recovering from surgery and a throat injury, he fought off a man armed with a knife and saved me." She squeezed her eyes shut. "But… he got hurt in the process. A lot.'

Chika sighed. "So that's where he got that scar over his eye."

Akiko's voice was strained. "Yeah. He took a deep wound in the side, too, even though there's no scar there. I couldn't bear to see him like that. So, that day, I promised myself I'd do anything to protect him."

Chika smiled. "I see. So that's why you wanted me to watch him. Well, I kept him safe from cracking his head open on a rock, so you're welcome."

Akiko laughed. "Yeah… I guess you've got me there."

Chika nodded. "Anyway, it's all right. I was unconscious for a bit, but Sora brought me back. And nothing else happened except I had a cut back there. The doctors just insisted on keeping me overnight."

Akiko gasped. "Brought you back? You didn't stop breathing, did you?"

Chika closed her eyes. "Yeah, I did… Sora saved my life today."

Akiko sighed. "Actually… that may work out. He's been feeling lately like everything he does fails. But he didn't fail to save you, now did he?"

Chika smiled. "No, he didn't. I see- a blessing in disguise. By saving my life, he doesn't feel so bad about failing to save…" Her eyes snapped open. "Wait… who did he fail to save?"

Akiko lowered her head. "Amy-san is in a coma."

Chika grit her teeth. "No… All right, then. I'll make sure to do everything I can to help him be happy again."

Akiko sighed. "Thank you…" She snickered. "By the way, you kissed him, didn't you?"

Chika groaned. "No, I didn't. We were so close, though! I was in his arms and everything, and he knew I wanted him to… but then the ambulance guys came and brought me here, and there hasn't been a chance since."

Akiko laughed. "Ooh… Well, make sure you find a chance. You won't regret it."

Chika sighed. "What's with him, anyway? He's going through girls faster than Kuhn does."

Akiko's voice turned stern. "Don't mistake him, Chika-san. It's not that he loved Shizuka-san first, and then me, and now you. He loves all three of us, with all his heart, all the time. That's just the sort of guy he is."

Chika sighed. "Yeah… but he'll have to choose in the end, won't he?"

Akiko shook her head. "I'll never make him do that. I'll do whatever it takes to protect him, even if I have to give him up to do it."

Chika nodded. "I know. And now it makes sense, why you're doing what you're doing in 'The World'…"

Akiko cut her off with a fierce growl. "Don't you dare tell him about that. He might snap just from knowing that I've…" She trailed off.

Chika smiled. "I won't. You should be a bit more trusting, Akiko-san. After all, you trusted me with your identity in 'The World'."

Akiko sighed. "Don't tell him that, either. I'll do it myself, but only when the time is right." She laughed. "Luckily, he's an idiot, so he's got no chance of figuring it out before that time comes."

Chika laughed too. "Yeah. The look on his face when he figured out that I'm Alkaid was priceless, though."

Akiko giggled. "I bet. How'd he manage to figure it out, though?"

Chika laughed louder. "I had to practically spell it out for him, the big idiot. We were out stargazing, and…" She began recounting the past two days' events in detail to Akiko. As she talked animatedly, Akiko smiled. _Oh, Sora. I know you're in good hands now. I won't worry anymore, as long as Chika-san's with you._

Author's Notes: Did I mention yet that Sora's an idiot? :) I do love the psychology of this particular character, though... the way he makes these deep, loving connections with these three girls (and I promise, that's all!) is, I think, really beautiful. And yet, you just know it's going to end up getting him into a lot of trouble someday. More specifically, in the epilogue. (_snicker_)

And I do love the comparison to Kuhn up there. Meanwhile, more hints at a strange secret that Akiko is hiding, and the fact that it was her who asked Chika to keep an eye on Sora is revealed. Hmm... what could she be hiding?

Also, sorry about Wednesday's update not being up... my laptop was in the shop, and I keep all my files on that. As compensation, there will be two updates today instead of one. They're both kinda short anyway, so it works out.


	10. Christmas

The next day, after she'd been released from the hospital, Chika immediately tried to go looking for Sora again, but her parents insisted on taking her with them for various errands, so they were only able to meet briefly. The next day was taken up entirely by a fishing trip they'd been planning since they chosen to vacation in Hawaii, and similar activities ate up the day after that. Finally, Christmas Eve dawned brightly, and Chika woke up smiling, with her invitation to the Kapalo family Christmas party still clutched tightly in her hand. _Today for sure_, she thought.

At the party, she immediately sought out Sora. "Hey… you're not drunk yet, are you?"

Sora laughed. "Nope. But I plan on it pretty soon. What's up, Chika?"

Chika smiled. "Well…" She moved forward until she was standing right next to him, and raised her chin, eyes sparkling expectantly.

Sora laughed. "Oh… that again?" He paused. "Chika… I'm not sure about…"

A loud yell rang out from behind him. "Hey, Sora! What're you doing way over here, and still sober?"

Sora raised a hand. "In a minute, guys." He laughed. "Johnny-kun… he thinks he's my rival at surfing, even though I can take him down in a flash. He's a great guy, though." He smiled down at her, and Chika leaned closer to him.

Johnny came over and grabbed Sora by the back of his shirt. "Come on, we can't start without you!"

Sora grinned sheepishly. "Come find me later, Chika. We'll work it out. Have fun at the rest of the party, though!"

Chika pouted, and went to sit on the couch. "It won't be fun without you," she muttered.

Ray sat down next to her and patted her on the shoulder. "So, my son's got another girl after him, huh?"

Chika sighed. "That's twice now we've been that close. It's getting annoying. I have to leave the day after tomorrow, too."

Ray shrugged. "Well… I'm sure it'll work out in the end. In the meantime… do you like football at all?" He picked up the remote and turned on a game.

Chika smiled. "American football? It's all right. I don't suppose there's a hockey game on?"

Ray laughed, and raised the remote again. "Well, we can find out."

Adam looked over from his chair near the TV. "Hang on a second, Dad. It's Christmas Eve. We've practically made it tradition that we watch the game today."

Chika smiled. "That's fine. Leave the game on, I'll watch." She pointed over her shoulder at Sora and Johnny, now surrounded by a group of chanting young men. "What's the idiot brigade up to this time?"

Ray laughed. "Drinking games, of course. Why did you think Sora brought all of that sake back with him?"

Chika groaned. "Oh, boy… Considering it's Sora, I shouldn't be surprised, but, I mean…" She shrugged. "Whatever. Let's just watch the game."

Although Chika spent a while pouting and glaring, slowly she got into the game, until she was cheering with everyone else when the Cowboys scored a touchdown right before the first half ended, cutting the Patriots' lead to only one point. She sighed and stood up. Ray blinked. "Not staying for the halftime show?"

Chika snorted. "Those exist for the benefit of the men watching the game. I'm gonna go find Sora."

Adam raised a hand. "Wait." He grinned. "There's mistletoe hanging up in that doorway over there."

Chika looked over at him and laughed. "Good idea. Maybe you're not such a bad guy after all."

Adam laughed. "Even I can't help liking Michael." He frowned. "But be forewarned… he's probably smashed out of his mind right now."

Chika nodded. "I know. I'll watch out for that." She went toward the door, which led into the lounge, and looked around. Sora sat at a table with his back to her, around which sat several other teens, some younger and some about his age. Sora raised a cup of water and laughed, somewhat loudly. "Did you guys see that touchdown? The Cowboys are gonna steamroll those wussy Patriots this year! Ya ha!"

Chika recognized the "Ya ha!" yell and groaned. _That idiot otaku… Well, at least he's drinking water now and not sake._

Sora heard her and turned around. "Hey! Chika, where've you been?"

Chika smiled. "Watching the game in the other room, with your dad. What have you been doing, Sora?"

One of the other guys laughed. "Ooh… Big man Sora's found himself a nice little _wahine_, eh? And she's a cutie, too!"

Sora waved a hand at him. "Hey, hey, don't talk about Chika like that. She may be wild like me, but she's got a little class in her too."

Chika laughed, and crooked a finger to call Sora over. "So… are you sober yet?"

Sora laughed. "Getting there. I forced down three cups of black coffee after we gave up on the drinking games. I'm still kind of buzzed, though."

Chika shrugged. "Oh well… I guess close enough is good enough." She pointed up and grinned mischievously. "Look what I'm standing under…"

Sora blinked and looked up. "Mistletoe?" He looked down to see Chika standing on tiptoes with her eyes closed and her hands clasped behind her back. He laughed. "Figures…"

The other guys set up a raucous yell. "Yeah, go for it, Sora! It's the rules!"

Chika opened one eye. "Please?"

Sora put his arms around her. "In front of all the guys, though?"

Chika hugged him back. "Let 'em watch. I don't care." Sora sighed, and she wrinkled her nose. "Ugh… what's that smell?"

Sora blinked, and stepped back. He put his hand to his mouth, exhaled, and gave a sniff. "Oops… that's me. I guess drinking that much sake isn't good for one's breath."

Chika sighed. "Oh, whatever. Come on, just do it."

Sora hugged her again. "Not… just yet. Trust me; you don't want your first kiss to be spoiled by alcohol breath." He kissed her slowly and gently on the cheek. "Don't worry. Before vacation's out, I'll give you a real one."

Chika kissed his cheek as well. "But… I'm leaving the day after tomorrow."

Sora smiled gently. "Then I'll give it to you tomorrow. Think of it as an extra Christmas present."

Chika stepped back and pouted. "Fine." She blinked. "Wait, you got me a present? I mean, I already got you one, but…"

Sora laughed. "Of course I did. It's Christmas, after all." He took her hand as loud shouts from the living room announced the start of the second half. "Tell you what… to make it up to you, I'll stay with you for the rest of the party. Come on; let's go watch the game together!"

Chika nodded and let him lead her to an armchair near the TV. She seated herself on his lap, sighed happily, and leaned against him. Sora smiled and put his arms around her, but a troubled look remained in his eyes. _Why? Why do I keep making excuses with her, and why can't I just kiss her like she wants me to?_

_What's happening to my heart?_

As promised, Sora spent the entire party with Chika, laughing and having fun and getting steadily drunker again. Eventually, as might be expected, Sora keeled over, eyes whirling. Chika caught him gently, guided him towards the wall, and sat down with his head in her lap. "You idiot…" she giggled. "So… what'd you get me?"

Sora settled his head deeper into her lap and sighed happily. "Comfy… even more comfortable than Shizuka's lap…"

Chika rapped him gently on the head. "Hey! Are you listening to me?"

Sora laughed. "Yeah… I'm not gonna tell you a thing," he said, slurring his words slightly. "You're gonna have to wait 'till tomorrow."

Chika pouted. "Aw, come on!"

Sora let out a loud laugh. "Not a chance! I wouldn' let a pretty thing like you get her pretty gift spoiled for her…" He hiccupped slightly. "Oop… there I go again…"

Chika laughed. "It's getting late, you know." She leaned her head back against the wall. "You tired?"

Sora shrugged. "A little, maybe." He yawned. "Okay, fine, a lot. I was out late surfing last night." He yawned again.

Chika giggled, and began to stroke his head. "Well, then… get some rest, Sora."

Sora blinked. "F'real? You'd let me sleep in your lap?" He closed his eyes, grinning widely. "Thanks!"

Chika smiled and continued stroking his hair. "Of course I would. I love you, after all."

Miho walked up, crouched down near them, and smiled. "Aw…" She giggled. "You're in for a treat, Chika-san. Oniichan looks really cute when he's asleep."

Chika smiled and nodded. "I know. I saw him once before, on our first night here." She yawned. "Geez… I'm going to try and get some sleep too."

Miho nodded, and ran off. She returned a moment later with a pillow. "Here. Use this. You can't be very comfortable like that."

Chika sighed, leaned back against the pillow, and closed her eyes. "Thanks, Miho-san." She laid her hand on Sora's brow, smiled softly, and drifted off to sleep.

Miho giggled. On a whim, she snapped a picture. "This ought to cheer up Shizuka-san while she's stuck in the hospital," she said softly. She turned back to the pair and smiled. _They're so cute together… I really hope Oniichan ends up with her._

Sora was awakened the next morning by the sun's light shining through the window. He yawned, and looked around blurrily, trying to figure out his surroundings. His eyes almost immediately fell upon a dark blue wall. He blinked, puzzled, and followed it upwards to where a lighter blur sat atop it. He squinted, and the blur resolved itself into a sleeping face. He smiled and sat up gently, holding one hand to his head, and looked over at Chika. "Poor kid… was she like that all night?"

Chika stirred a little, and let out a gentle snore. Sora chuckled softly. "Huh… she snores just like I do." He rubbed his temple and groaned. "Oogh… I forgot how much I hate hangovers."

Chika stirred again, and began to slide sideways. Sora darted forward and caught her gently in one arm, still pressing the other against the side of his face. She groaned and opened her eyes sleepily. "Huh? Who's there…?"

Sora smiled, and lifted her into his arms. "It's me, Sora. Sleep well?"

Chika chuckled softly. "Yeah. I bet you had a nicer sleep than I did, though."

Sora laughed, and began to walk, still carrying her. "True… but waking up isn't so nice." He winced. "And my breath probably stinks even worse now."

She pecked him on the cheek. "Bad hangover, huh? Well, I'm sure your parents know some sort of remedy for it."

Sora laughed again, and began to climb the stairs. "Chika, this is Hawaii. Of course they have a remedy." He rolled his eyes. "Whether or not it works is, of course, another matter entirely."

Chika nodded, and glanced down. "Where are we going, anyway?" She grinned wanly. "Up to something, are we?"

Sora rolled his eyes again. "What I am 'up to' is getting you somewhere you can actually have a comfortable rest. And then I'm going to go brush my teeth about fifty times until they start giving off their own light."

Chika giggled. "Getting yourself ready, huh?"

Sora sighed as they reached the door to his room. "Listen… about that…"

Chika pouted. "I'm not getting it, am I?"

Sora shook his head. "Not yet. I… I don't know why either."

Chika sniffed. "I… I think I know why. It's too soon, right?"

Sora gently laid her on his bed and sat down next to her. "Why would you think that?"

Chika pouted. "You're nineteen, and I'm only sixteen… it wouldn't work, right?"

Sora shook his head. "You forget… Akiko's only seventeen. It's not that you're too young, or anything like that."

Chika grabbed his hand. "Then what? Why won't you kiss me?"

Sora looked down at her and clasped her hand in his. "I… I want to. But something keeps holding me back, every time… Chika, my heart's really confused right now. I don't know where it lies, or what my real feelings are."

Chika looked up at him. "I… I thought you loved me, too."

Sora smiled sadly. "That's just it. I'm not sure whether I love you or not."

Chika's eyes widened. "I… I see now." She nodded. "All right… I'll wait as long as it takes. Because, you see…" She smiled. "I do know. I love you, Sora."

Sora leaned down and hugged her. "I know. That's why… I'm worried that I might break your heart. And I never want to see that happen."

Chika reached up and tangled her fingers in his hair. "I'd be willing to risk that. Even a little time with you is worth it."

Sora's eyes were dim. "But… I'm afraid…"

Chika smiled. "I was afraid once, too. But I was able to break through my fear, because of you." She sat up slowly. "I'll wait, then. Until that day you're able to defeat your own fear… I'll wait for you."

Sora stood up, and sighed. "I… Do you really think I'm worth waiting for?"

Chika's eyes were bright. "Until the world crumbles beneath our feet."

Sora smiled. "Thank you, Chika. I… I think I needed to hear someone say that."

Chika smiled back. "I know. But that's not why I said it."

Sora laughed. "Yeah… I know." He turned. "I'll promise you this… I'll make sure you don't regret waiting for me." He glanced back over his shoulder. "Now, get some rest, Chika. It can't have been comfortable, sleeping against the wall like that."

Chika giggled, and lay back. "Well… I think having you asleep in my lap made it much nicer." She closed her eyes. "When you're done getting rid of that hangover, come back and stay with me some more, okay?"

Sora nodded, and gently closed the door. "Okay," he whispered through the crack, and then left.

Chika woke a few hours later to find him lying next to her, so close that their arms had become pressed against each other. She smiled sweetly at him, and rolled over onto her side. His sleeping face was peaceful, free of the troubles she knew he hid by day. And it was close… close enough to reach out and touch…

She drew closer to him, trembling. Surely, one kiss wouldn't hurt. He wouldn't even wake up. And even if he did, he'd be better off for it…

"I wouldn't do that, Chika-san." Miho stood in the doorway, a sad look on her face. "The one essential quality in every relationship Oniichan's ever had is freedom. Neither side ever forces anything on the other. I thought you understood that about him."

Chika tensed, and grit her teeth. "I do… I do, but…" She bent closer to him. "I want him to love me! I want to be with him!"

Miho shook her head. "He wouldn't see it that way. Letting you sleep next to him is an act of trust in you, Chika-san. Don't betray it, or he'll never love you again."

Chika stared at her. "What? Over something like this?"

Miho glared down at her. "You know about Amy-san already, right? She forced him into a kiss, too. You're starting to act just like her."

Chika gnashed her teeth. "I know that. But still…"

Miho shook her head. "Oniichan does love you. You and I both know that. Just give him some time, or else you'll ruin it for both of you."

Chika moved still further, until she was gazing straight at Sora's closed eyes. "I… I want this from him, at least."

Miho clenched her fist. "So, that's it? You'll take whatever you desire and then leave him lying in the ruin of his heart? I was mistaken to want him to end up with you."

Chika stopped, her lips an inch from Sora's. "You… you want Sora and me to end up together?"

Miho turned her back. "Not anymore. You're just like Amy-san; you take whatever you want and leave nothing behind. Whereas Oniichan gives everything and asks nothing but love in return." She crossed her arms. "Well? If you're going to do it, go ahead. Wait too long, and he'll wake up and spoil your plans."

Chika hesitated. "He wouldn't wake up. He'd never know…"

Miho didn't look back. "You would, though. Can you really live with that?"

Chika sighed, and drew back. "No. I can't." She hugged Sora's arm to her. "What was I thinking? I even said I'd wait for him no matter what."

Miho shrugged, and turned to look back at her. "I know you're frustrated. He's kept you waiting all week, after all."

Chika sighed, and snuggled up against Sora. "I… I'm an idiot…"

Sora stirred, and laughed softly. "I'm the only idiot around here, remember? And I'll fiercely defend that title to the death."

Chika's eyes widened. "Sora? Um… how much did you hear?"

Sora shrugged. "Not much. I'm only just waking up. But…" He grinned up at Miho. "So, you want me and Chika to end up together, eh?"

Miho giggled. "Of course. You two are so cute together…"

Sora shrugged. "Well… so are me and Shizuka. And me and Akiko." He grinned, and motioned to the phone on his dresser. "I've got pictures; see for yourself."

Miho giggled again, and drew out her own phone. "No, you see for yourself, Oniichan." She handed it to him.

Sora looked down at the picture on the screen. Chika leaned close to him and looked as well. Sora chuckled. "I should have guessed you'd do that."

Chika smiled sadly. "That was nice… I can't believe you slept the whole night in my lap. It was wonderful…" She sighed. "But…"

Sora smiled over at her. "I know what you're thinking about. Don't worry about it. You held back from doing it, after all." He sat up, and she followed.

Chika lowered her head, and moved away from Sora. "But… If Miho-san hadn't come in and stopped me, I would have done it. You'd be waking up now with my lips on yours."

Sora shrugged. "All in all, not a bad way to wake up." He shook his head. "I wouldn't have minded so much. But I think you would have regretted it."

Chika squeezed her eyes shut. "But…"

Sora drew her to him, and hugged her to his chest. "It's all right. You love me, and all you want is for me to love you back. I'm sorry… I should be strong enough to break through whatever's holding me back."

Chika sobbed into his chest. "I'm so sorry…"

Sora rubbed her back gently. "I forgive you. And don't worry. No matter what Miho says, you're not like Amy-chan."

Chika hugged him tightly. "Thank you… I won't ever try to do something like that again. I don't know what came over me."

Sora smiled. His eyes lit on something behind Chika's back, and he blinked. "Oh! Your present!" He gently broke away from her and retrieved a small package from his dresser drawer. "Here."

Chika took it and slowly opened it. "Oh…" She dipped her hand into the white box and drew out a fine silver chain, from which hung two charms. "This is…"

Sora grinned. "Isn't it nice? It's a bracelet. Go ahead, try it on."

Chika clipped the bracelet around her wrist, and raised it so it caught the afternoon sunlight as it streamed in through the window. "It's… beautiful…" She tapped one of the charms. "A snowflake… you know me pretty well, huh?"

Sora nodded. "I thought it fit nicely with you. Plus, you've got that snowflake keychain on your cellphone, so I figured you'd like it." He lifted the other one. "And, of course, a lotus. Don't ever forget that that's who you really are."

Chika smiled, and ran towards the door. "Wait right here. I'll be right back!" She dashed downstairs.

Sora blinked. "Where's she going?"

Miho rolled her eyes. "Probably to get your present, doofus. What do you expect?"

Sora grinned. "Ooh… I wonder what she got for me."

Chika returned a minute later with a gift-wrapped box of her own. "Here…"

Sora smiled and eagerly tore at the paper. "Let's see… eh?" He drew out a small white box. He gave a wild grin. "Chika… this is so sudden."

Chika blinked. "Huh?"

Sora laughed as he opened the box. "And anyway, isn't it the guy's job to propose?"

Chika blushed and whacked him over the head. "It's not like that, idiot! Stop being so dumb!"

Sora laughed and reached into the box. "I was kidding. I know it's not a ring or anything like that." He paused as his fingers found something, and he drew out a black leather cord. "Huh…" He held it up, and looked at the two charms hanging from it. "Wow… is that a real shark's tooth?"

Chika grinned. "Yeah. The guys on the trip right before ours caught a mako shark, and I managed to buy a tooth from them."

Sora tapped it with his finger. "Cool!"

Chika gently took it from him. "Hold out your arm. I'll put it on you."

Sora shrugged, and held out his arm. Chika smiled, and gently tied it around his wrist, blushing slightly as her hands brushed against him. Sora laughed. "What are you blushing about? Is my little _wahine_ embarrassed to be so close to me?"

Chika giggled, and finished tying the knot. "You goof… What's _wahine_ mean, anyway?" She lifted his hand, admiring her work.

Sora bent close to examine the gift as well. "It's just a fun way of saying 'girl' or 'woman'. Sounds cooler, anyway." He tapped the other charm. "Is that a lotus?"

Chika nodded. "I told you… I think it fits you too. Just like a snowflake fits me, even though it's not my scent."

Sora nodded. "I see." He brought his arm close to his eyes and stared at it. "This is really nice." He hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Chika. I won't ever lose this."

Chika laughed. "You'd better not. I spent a lot of money on that, you know!"

Sora snickered. "Yeah… my mom's quite the price gouger, eh?"

Chika blinked. "How'd you…"

Sora sat back and grinned. "Know that you got it from my mom's gift shop? I searched all over the place, but she's the only one who had any lotus charms. She charged me full price for it, too. Imagine that! Her own son, paying full price for an overpriced piece of jewelry."

Miho snickered. "Yeah, our mother's a model businesswoman, all right."

Sora pressed his hand against Chika's, holding it so their fingers were outstretched and the two bracelets touched. "Hey… let's make a promise."

Chika blinked. "A… promise?"

Sora nodded. "Each of now bears a gift given from the other's heart. As long as we have them… we'll promise never to forget each other. Even if I don't understand my feelings for you, they'll never go away."

Chika nodded. "And my love for you won't ever go away, either."

They both bent their fingers so that each clasped the other's hand. "Promise?" said Sora softly.

Chika nodded. "Promise." She gently took Sora's right hand in her left, and pulled it against her chest. Sora blinked, and blushed slightly. Chika giggled softly. "Just like a boy…"

Sora's eyes widened as he began to feel a gentle pulse under his hand. "Oh… I see." He took her hand and pressed it against his own heart. "Like this?"

Chika smiled, and closed her eyes. "Yes… like that."

Sora closed his own eyes, and both of them fell silent. They were still like that a few minutes later, when Takeshi poked his head in the door.

Takeshi smiled. "Hey, you two," he said softly. "Sorry, but Chika needs to come back with me now."

Sora pouted. "Aw…"

Chika hugged him one last time. "Sorry… He's right, I have to go. We leave tomorrow, and I'll have to pack everything up again."

Sora hugged her back. "Well… what time is your flight? I'll come and see you off."

Chika smiled. "Officially, the plane leaves at noon. Which, of course, actually means it'll leave at about two-thirty in the afternoon, but whatever…"

Sora nodded. "Noon tomorrow, at the airport. Got it." He kissed her cheek. "Thanks again, for the present."

Chika smiled, and kissed his cheek as well. "And thank you, Sora… for everything." She rose, and left with Takeshi, smiling happily and showing off her new bracelet to everyone in sight. Sora sighed, and held his hand to his chest, remembering the feel of Chika's soft hand against him, and the gentle pulse of Chika's heart. "She's… quite a girl." He smiled, lay back, and fell asleep again.

Author's Notes: I do love airport jokes... As for the "heartbeat" scene, despite the fair number of references I'm going to make to Saikano in a few chapters, this one's purely coincidental. Still nonetheless one of my favorite moments...

And for those of you who were wondering, Sora's "Ya ha!" yell is in homage to Hiruma, the demon quarterback from the manga Eyeshield 21. Hence Chika's "otaku" comment.

Anyway, the next chapter will be the last one set in Hawaii, and after that will be the return to Japan, and of course "The World". Miho won't be in the next one, but I do want to try and bring at least her in again... Adam, of course, isn't going to stop being a thorn in Sora's side, but that is an entirely different story.


	11. Mistletoe

Chika sighed, stood on her seat, and gazed around the airport for about the thousandth time. "Still not here…" she muttered bitterly.

Mahi sniffed. "Good riddance," she muttered to herself. After hearing about what Sora and Chika had done together at the party, her original opinion of him had reasserted itself. "He's not coming, Chika. Come on, or we'll miss the flight." She stood up and walked briskly towards the gate.

Takeshi laid a hand on her shoulder. "Chika… I know he'd be here if he could. I can see how much he cares about you."

The bell clock in the center of the airport tolled out twelve times- noon. The stewardess standing by the gate nodded to Chika and Takeshi. "Please hurry and get on board. The plane will be leaving soon."

Chika sighed, and walked slowly through the gate. Halfway down the tunnel, she paused and looked back one last time. "Sora…" She looked down at her bracelet. "Did you forget our promise already?" She turned away from the door, a single tear falling from her eye, and sighed as she heard the mechanical door begin to shut behind her.

A moment later, a shout broke through her reverie. "Hey! Chika! What are you up to, running off without even saying goodbye?"

Chika gasped and spun around. "Sora?"

Sora stood in the gate, holding the door halfway open and grinning his head off. "Sorry I'm late! Security was a nightmare to get through."

The stewardess grabbed his shoulder and glared at him. "Sir, unless you have a ticket, you'll have to leave."

Sora ignored her. "Chika! Come on, I still have something I want to say to you!"

Chika ran back down the tunnel and flung her arms around him. "Sora… I was worried you weren't going to come!" She slapped him lightly. "What were you up to, making a girl think she wasn't going to get to say goodbye?"

Sora laughed, and pushed the door open a little further. "Just give us a minute, 'kay?" he called over his shoulder.

The stewardess scowled, and operated a control on her board. "Fine…"

The door slid all the way open again, and Sora took a single step into the tunnel. "Chika… I've been doing some thinking since yesterday. And I've talked to Takeshi-san, too."

Chika gulped. "What… what did he tell you?"

Sora glared down at her. "He told me you were afraid of deep water. You never told me that."

Chika lowered her head. "I… I just wanted…"

Sora lifted her chin with one hand and smiled. "Easy, easy… You were brave for me, so we could go surfing together." He reached into his pocket, took out something, and put it on her head. "Guess what you're under…"

Chika reached up and touched it. Her fingers met prickly leaves and hard, waxy berries. "Mistletoe?"

Sora nodded. "This time… I'll be brave, for you."

Chika's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

Sora beamed down at her, and tangled his fingers in her hair. "Chika… whatever's holding me back doesn't matter anymore. For you, I won't let fear stop me."

Chika tangled her own fingers in his hair. "Sora…" She closed her eyes.

Sora smiled, and closed his own eyes. "Merry Christmas, Chika." He leaned in and gave her a long, gentle kiss on the lips.

Takeshi poked his head up the tunnel to look for Chika, and beamed when he caught sight of them. "I knew he'd show up…" he muttered.

Mahi came up beside him. "What? Did you find her?" She saw Sora and Chika and gasped. "Chika! Come here this instant!"

Sora opened his eyes, but only spared Mahi a momentary glance before returning to the kiss. As for Chika, her entire universe was the scent of Sora's hair and the feeling of his arms around her and his lips on hers; Mahi might as well have not existed.

Takeshi laid a hand on Mahi's shoulder. "She's made her choice, Mahi. She's her own person, and you have to respect that."

Mahi grit her teeth. "But… to choose someone like him… Where did I go wrong?"

Takeshi frowned. "Well… I'd say it started with you not understanding your own daughter even nearly as much as him. He gets her, and you don't. That's why."

Mahi grit her teeth, and took a step forward. "I… I won't accept this! I won't accept him as a son!"

Once again, Sora's eyes snapped open for an instant, before allowing Chika to draw him back into their embrace. But in that instant, Mahi saw a powerful, dark fury in his steely eyes. She trembled. "He…"

Takeshi crossed his arms. "He will never turn that anger on her. But you… you continue to try and break them apart, even going so far as to interrupt their kiss…" He glared. "Your daughter's getting her first kiss. You should be happy."

Mahi clenched her fist. "But…"

Slowly, gently, Chika broke away from Sora, and sighed happily. "This… this is the one thing I wanted… Thank you, so much…"

Sora smiled. "The question of whether or not I love you isn't important anymore. What's important is that you love me." He hugged her close. "And nobody can change that." He threw a pointed glance at Mahi.

Mahi gathered her composure and walked up to them, ignoring Sora's furious glare. "Chika… time to go, now."

Chika turned away from her and buried her face in Sora's chest. "I… I don't want to go away. I want to stay here, with you, Sora."

Sora stroked her hair. "My family would love to have you stay with us. And more importantly, I would love to have you stay with me." He raised his head. "But you'd better make sure it's all right with them first."

Chika turned, her eyes sad. "Please?" She held one of Sora's arms close to her.

Mahi twitched. "St-stay? With Kapalo-san? Absolutely not! Now come along! We can't make the entire airplane wait on your convenience!"

Chika looked at Takeshi. "Please, Dad? I… I love him."

Takeshi stroked his chin for a moment, and then gave a crafty grin. "You know how I always say, 'Listen to your mother'? Well, don't listen to her this time. Go ahead and be happy, for the rest of vacation."

Mahi turned to him, dumbfounded. "W-what? You're going to let our daughter stay with someone like him?"

Takeshi grinned. "Someone like Sora-kun? Absolutely. I trust him completely." He gave Sora a thumbs-up. "Take good care of her, you hear?"

Sora saluted. "Of course." He took a step back, gently pulling Chika with him. "Don't worry, Mahi-san. I'll bring her back safe and sound."

Mahi darted towards them. "Chika! Stop this foolishness at once!"

Chika glared at her, and pulled out her plane ticket. "Shut up. I'm staying with Sora." She seized the ticket in both hands and ripped it in half.

Mahi stopped, stunned. "Ch-Chika…"

Sora gently put his arms around Chika. "Enough. You can't break her away from me." He raised his right hand, and the charm on his bracelet shimmered in the light. "We made a promise to each other."

Chika nodded, and touched her right hand to his. "Yes… I won't leave him, Mom. This is my choice to make, and you don't figure into it."

Takeshi laid a hand on Mahi's shoulder. "Mahi… it's time to leave."

Mahi bent her head and sobbed. "My daughter… my little Chika…"

Sora gave her a cold look. "Say things like that when you start treating her like a daughter. Understand her, accept her for who she is, and actually try to put some of yourself into her care… then you can call her that."

Chika's eyes were soft. "Mom… I'm not leaving you either. I just want to spend vacation with Sora, that's all." She laid a hand on her shoulder. "Don't cry. I still love you, too."

Mahi sniffed, and then threw her arms around Chika. "Goodbye, my Chika."

Chika smiled gently, and patted her back. "Bye, Mom. I'll see you in a week or so." She turned to Takeshi and hugged him too. "See you, Dad."

Takeshi gave her a bear hug, laughing. "Yeah… See you soon, Chika. Have fun!"

Chika grinned wildly. "You know I will." She stepped back, and the stewardess began closing the door, with an annoyed look on her face. Sora and Chika waved as it hid Takeshi and Mahi from sight. Chika sighed and hugged Sora. "Well…" She grinned wickedly. "I guess I'm all yours now."

Sora laughed, and tapped her head. "It's still there, you know."

Chika blinked. "The mistletoe? How the heck did that stay on?"

Sora shrugged. "Maybe it got tangled up in your hair? Anyway, leave it there. It looks cute. And besides…" He grinned

Chika giggled. "Yeah… We're going to have to make up for lost time, huh?"

Sora laughed, and took her hand. "Yes, I suppose we are. But let's wait until we get home, okay?"

Chika pouted, and kissed his cheek. "Fine. I guess I can wait that long." She grinned. "You're worth waiting for, after all. Where'd you learn to kiss that well?"

Sora chuckled. "It just comes naturally, I guess. Shizuka's the one I shared my first kiss with, and she kept telling everyone else how good I was at it."

Chika giggled. "Yeah… that sounds like Shizuka-san, all right."

Sora smiled, and gazed up at the airport ceiling, to the sky beyond. "So… we've got the whole rest of vacation together. What do you want to do?"

Chika smiled, and wrapped herself around his right arm. "I don't know… I mean, of course we'll have lots of fun, and take lots of pictures to make Shizuka-san and Akiko-san jealous, but… Let's just find out as we go, okay?"

Sora nodded, and kissed her forehead. "Yeah… Free as the lotus, right?"

Chika smiled happily, and held tighter to his arm. "Right. As free as the wild salt spray." She sighed happily, closed her eyes, and allowed Sora to lead her out of the airport and back to his home.

Author's Note: Yeah... I know it's corny... -seppuku-

I do so love two images I used in this, though... Sora holding open that stupid entryway door, and Chika with mistletoe in her hair. That second one is just so cute... :D

So, this is the last of the Hawaii chapters. The action returns to Japan- and "The World" next chapter... which will also be posted today. I know, I fail... -seppuku again-


	12. Okaeri

When Sora and Chika left the Kyoto airport some days later, at the end of winter break, Akiko was waiting for them, grinning as she sat behind the wheel of Sora's MX-6. "Well, well," she said, smiling. "You two look happy together."

Chika grinned at her and held Sora's arm closer to her. "So what if we are? Me and Sora are in love, after all."

Akiko pouted. "I thought Sora and I were in love…"

Sora laughed. "Come on, Akiko. You know I love you too."

Akiko giggled. "I know. Hop in; I'll drive you and your new little girlfriend back." She glanced at Chika. "Geez… she's even younger than me, huh?"

Chika giggled as she slid into the back seat. "Well then, I guess Sora likes younger girls."

Akiko raised one finger in the air. "Ah, but there's the matter of the fourth member of this crazy little love… whatever shape this is supposed to be. After all, Shizuka-san is twenty-one, and Sora's in love with her too."

Sora grinned. "That's right, Akiko. And she was my first, too." He glanced at the passenger's seat and the backseat, and back and forth between them. "Wait… where should I sit?"

Chika laughed. "Oh, you can sit up front with your little tomboy girlfriend. You had me living with you and your family for nearly a week, after all."

A vein pulsed in Akiko's temple. "Living together? What's this new turn of events, Sora?"

Sora waved his hands frantically. "It's not what you think! I swear! She just wanted to stay, but her parents were leaving, so she asked if she could stay with me."

Akiko twitched. "And you said yes, huh? Idiot."

Sora laughed, and settled himself in the front seat. "Oh, shut up and drive already." He buckled his seatbelt hastily. "By the way… how's Shizuka?"

Akiko shrugged. "She's out of the hospital, but I don't see her much. Nobody does; apparently she keeps to her room a lot."

Sora sighed. "I knew it was a bad idea to leave her alone like that over break…"

Akiko punched him lightly on the arm, and started the car's engine. "Knock it off. Your happiness is important too." She grinned. "Besides… I think she just misses you. She'll snap out of it once you get back."

Chika laughed. "And besides, Sora… do you really regret seeing your family again, and all the things we did together?"

Sora smiled. "No… I guess I don't." He began to softly hum a song as Akiko began to drive.

After a bit, Akiko scratched her head with one hand. "No good… I can't place it. What song's that, Sora?"

Chika blinked. "Hang on a second…" She leaned forward and listened closely as Sora continued to hum contentedly. She frowned. "Yep. It's that one, all right. Why on earth are you humming it?"

Sora shrugged. "It's stuck in my head, that's all."

Chika sighed. "But it's such a sad song, though! I mean, the title is actually 'Sayonara', remember?"

Sora smiled. "Sorry… I can't help it."

Chika grinned. "All right… but prepare for the consequences!" She bent her head and focused her mind for a moment. "Hey… Sora, look back here a minute."

Sora looked back, and blinked. "Wha…"

Chika's face had changed subtly. A plaintive yet happy look was on her face, and the brown of her eyes had lightened a little. "Shuu-chan?" she murmured in a soft voice.

Sora twitched. "No… you wouldn't!"

The soft blush across Chika's face deepened slightly. "Sorry, Shuu-chan… I'm like this now…"

Sora tensed, his eyes squeezing shut. "Chise…" he muttered softly, a single tear running down one side of his face.

Akiko pulled to a stop at a red light and raised one eyebrow. "Okay, I'll bite… what the heck are you two talking about? And…" She glared at Chika. "What'd I tell you about making Sora cry?"

Sora laughed. "It's okay, Akiko. Just memories."

Akiko frowned. "Memories of what?"

Sora looked back at Chika, who was still holding her face in its changed state. "Well… over break, Chika and I watched an anime called _Saikano_ together."

Chika sighed, her face returning to normal. "It's an absolutely beautiful story, and I don't regret watching it at all, but it was really sad, too."

Akiko nodded. "And so you were referencing it?"

Sora laughed. "Well, I started it. 'Sayonara' is the ending theme, and I was humming it, so…"

Chika laughed. "So I decided to bring out an imitation I'd been practicing."

Sora shook his head, smiling. "It's almost creepy how good you are at that. I mean, you look a little like Chise to begin with, but…"

Chika laughed again. "And you look almost exactly like the opposite of Shuuji. So, it balances out, ne?"

Akiko sighed. "But, I mean…"

Sora laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. We got each other through it. And it's kind of fun to remind each other of it, even though it's sad, too." He grinned. "All the same, I wouldn't recommend that you watch it. Like Chika said, it's beautiful, and it was wonderful for us to watch it together, but it's a really sad story."

Akiko shrugged, and started driving again. "Not my kind of thing, I think."

Sora laughed. "Yeah, that's true. Chika, permit me to introduce you properly. This is Akiko, the only girl on the planet that prefers _shounen_ manga to _shoujo_."

Akiko twitched. "I am NOT the only girl on the planet that likes _shounen_! Geez!"

Chika snickered. "Of course not. I like it too. Action manga is great!"

Akiko sighed. "Um… Sora? Would you sing some of that song for me? I haven't heard you singing in a long while."

Sora blinked. "Oh… sure, Akiko." He grinned. "Actually, that would be nice. I haven't sung in a long while, either."

He bent his head, and cleared his throat for a minute. "There…" He raised his head, and began to sing in a soft, mellow voice.

"_Watashi no kokoro ni, sukima ga aita… nemurenu yoru, tameiki bakari_..."

Chika joined in, her high, soft voice melding with Sora's. "_Kidzukanu uchi ni, asa ni… natteta_."

Sora smiled, and the two began the next verse together. "_Anata no koe ga, kikitakute… nukumori furetakute._"

Chika nodded to Sora, and he fell silent, letting her sing the next part alone. "_Anata e no omoi, komiagete kuru… Namida… afureru…_"

Once again, Sora raised his voice as the chorus began. "_Sayonara, itoshii hito, mada wasurerarenai, anata no koto. Sayonara, no hitokoto de, owatteshimau nante… kanashii yo_..."

Akiko sighed softly as they finished. "You're right… it's both beautiful and sad." She glanced over at Sora and smiled. "You should sing more often, Sora. And you too, Chika-san; you're as good as he is."

Chika grinned. "Only 'as good', eh? What, you don't think I'm better than that amateur?"

Sora raised a finger in the air, a scholarly look on his face. "Ah, but do not forget, Chika… Akiko's in love with me. That means everything I do is automatically wonderful in her eyes."

Akiko giggled. "Which, of course, makes my proclamation that Chika-san is on your level into high praise. You two really sing well together."

As they drove down the road, they continued talking about what both groups had done over break, and told stories of what everyone else was doing. Soon enough, they had reached the school gates, and they got out. Sora stretched and grinned. "I'm back!" he called out, in a half-joking mood.

He instantly regretted it. A cute red-headed girl stuck her head out from behind the gate. "Sora-chan!"

Sora waved nervously. "Ryoko-chan… hey…"

Ryoko spun around and cupped her hands to her mouth. "Everyone! Sora-chan's back!"

Sora took a hasty step backwards, as cries of excitement began to echo across the campus. A low rumbling began to grow, and dust rose into the air. Sora gulped, and took the two girls' hands. "Akiko?" Akiko sighed, exasperated. "Chika?" Chika blinked, not understanding, but nodded. "I suggest we run. Right about… now!"

He yelped and ran for it, towing Akiko and Chika behind him as a wave of girls poured out of the front gates. Shouts of "Sora-chan!" as well as the occasional "Sora!" split the air.

Akiko groaned, and pulled herself up so she could run alongside Sora. "Trust Shizuka-san's devoted number two to keep the fan club motivated! Stupid Ryoko-san…"

Chika stared behind them, letting Sora drag her for the moment. "Wow… you're pretty popular, eh Sora? I always thought you were kidding whenever you mentioned the fan club."

Sora groaned. "No, I wasn't…" He laughed, and helped Chika to her feet so she could run too. "Maybe we'd better split up?"

Akiko nodded. "Right. We can just blend in with the crowd. You, on the other hand…"

Chika giggled. "Good luck, Sora. We'll try and meet up with you later if you survive."

Sora yelped. "Don't say stuff like that, dummy!"

Chika giggled again, and slowed down. The mob parted and made their way around and past both her and Akiko, as Sora continued running and yelping. Chika snickered. "He's doomed."

Akiko nodded. "Completely. So…" She pointed at the bracelet. "A present?"

Chika smiled. "Yeah. I gave him one too- obviously, it wasn't on a silver chain, but…"

Akiko rolled her eyes. "I saw it. You've got a good grasp of who he is." She paused. "So… How has he been doing? You didn't call me at all during the break."

Chika gasped. "Oh… I'm so sorry! He's fine, really, but I should have called and told you that…"

Akiko sighed. "That's a relief. But what were you thinking, making him watch something like… whatever anime that was? He's sad enough already from what's happening in the real world."

Chika sighed. "We… decided together to watch it. I mean…" She raised a hand. "Keep in mind, this wasn't my idea. Miho-chan, Sora's little sister, tricked us into doing it initially. But after the first episode, we decided together to watch it."

"Sad anime? Which one?"

Chika turned around. "Oh, hi, Hiruma-kun. It was called _Saikano_. You know it?"

Hiruma twitched. "Oh, no… not that one! Please tell me you at least watched it with him?"

Chika nodded. "Of course. He's my boyfriend, after all."

Hiruma blinked. "Wait… _another_ one? What's with him lately?"

Renée poked her head out from behind him and giggled. "At least he is having fun, right?"

Chika blinked. "Who's this?"

Hiruma rolled his eyes. "Chika-san, allow me to introduce the person who got _me_ to watch _Saishuu-heiki Kanojou_. This is Renée." He grinned. "She's my girlfriend."

Chika grinned, and gave him a thumbs-up. "Way to go, Hiruma-kun!" She nodded. "Nice to meet you, Renée-san. I'm Chika."

Renée bowed politely, smiling. "It is very nice to meet you, Chika-san."

While Renée and Chika began talking with each other, Sora made his way around to the back of the school and slipped into the dorms. His moment's reprieve ended quickly when Ryoko caught sight of him and called out again. He yelped and ducked into the room immediately behind him, closing and locking the door hastily behind him. He sighed and sank down to the floor. "Sorry for intruding…" he called softly.

There was no response. He blinked. "Um…" He stood up and moved further into the room, glancing around and squinting in the dim light. Two beds stood against the walls. One was cleanly made up, and looked like it was hardly slept in. The other was unkempt, and the blankets were twisted into a knot. A pair of crutches lay beside it.

A soft murmur fell on his ears. "Where've they gone to? Nobody's left… I just want to lie here and fade away…"

Sora's eyes widened, and he approached the messy bed. "Shi-Shizuka?"

Shizuka lay in bed, pale and weary-looking. She glanced up at Sora. "Oh… another fantasy come to trouble me?"

Sora looked down at her, and gently lifted her up. "No… it's really me, Shizuka. What happened to you?"

Shizuka seemed to come a bit more to life. "So… chan?"

Sora nodded, and gently kissed her cheek. "That's right. I'm back."

A light flared in Shizuka's eyes. "So-chan!" She threw her arms around him in a hug, and Sora stumbled backwards. Shizuka slipped down and fell on top of him. "Welcome home!"

Sora laughed and hugged her tightly. "That's better. What's all this about, Shizuka?" He raised an arm and indicated the messy, dark room. "At least open the curtains, right? It's sunny outside."

Shizuka sighed happily and snuggled against him. "It doesn't matter. You were gone, but now you're back, and that's all that matters."

Sora reached back and opened the blinds. "Come on, it's not good to be in the dark all the time. Akiko said nobody's seen you for a while. What's wrong?"

Shizuka sighed, and settled deeper into their embrace. "I missed you… I really missed you, So-chan. I know I said to go on and have fun, but I… it hurt, being without you."

Sora stroked her head gently. "And it must have hurt worse, since Amy-chan isn't around. Come on, then. Let's get out of this dark room and have some fun together."

Shizuka smiled, and clung to him. "Yeah… Amy-chan wouldn't want me to be sad like this." She let Sora lift her to her feet, and sighed. "Look at me… I'm a mess. Sorry, So-chan… I've made you worry again."

Sora stroked her cheek. "It's okay." He gently stepped back. "You should get dressed, though. I don't think you want to be wearing a nightdress when you make your grand reappearance on-campus."

Shizuka giggled, and turned to her dresser. "True… These casts are going to make it kind of hard, though." Her eyes sparkled. "Maybe you'd be willing to help me?"

Sora gulped, and turned red. "Um…"

Shizuka giggled again, and began rummaging through her drawers. "Come on, So-chan. I can't do it without your help, you know."

Sora shrugged, and came over to her. "How'd you do it when I wasn't here, then?"

Shizuka's face fell. "I… I didn't. I haven't left the room since I came back to the school three days ago. Renée-chan brought me food and things, but…"

Sora laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry…"

Shizuka smiled and kissed his cheek. "It's okay. You were worse off than I am now." She drew a skirt out of the drawers. "Come on… don't be shy of your little Shizuka now. I'll forgive you for leaving me all alone over break, but only if you help me out now." Her eyes sparkled at him. "Please?"

Sora groaned. "Fine…" He helped Shizuka pull her nightdress over her head, and stared sadly at the cast on her arm. His eyes wandered over to her back, and he blushed profusely. Shizuka giggled, and slipped a shirt over her head, and Sora took her right arm and slid it into the proper sleeve.

Shizuka smiled and held up the skirt. "Okay, now for the hard part." She slid her legs into it and pulled it up, but the casts on both legs caught it and kept it at her knees. "See?"

Sora groaned, knelt, and began pulling at the leg openings so they would fit over the casts. "You seriously can't do this yourself?"

Shizuka laughed. "Of course I can, silly. It's just much more fun to have you help me." She took his hand and ran it gently down her leg. "See?"

Sora laughed, and slowly tugged on the skirt until he'd gotten it on her. "You're as irrepressible as ever, Shizuka. I bet most of the time you were lying there, you were coming up with new ways to make me feel utterly uncomfortable."

Shizuka bowed, a bit awkwardly because of the casts. "I live to serve."

Sora turned, and bent his knees. "Come on, then. I promised you a piggyback, remember?"

Shizuka smiled. "Headed for your room, are we?" She put her arms around his neck.

Sora laughed, and lifted her legs into his arms. "No, silly. It's our room now, remember?" He attempted to open the door, but couldn't because he was holding Shizuka's legs.

Shizuka giggled and reached past him to open the door. "That's right…" She snuggled her head against his neck and sighed happily. Sora smiled and headed quickly for the stairs. Ryoko caught sight of him and began to call out again, but a quick look from Shizuka silenced her

She smiled. "Shizuka-chan, it's great to see you up and around again. You look kinda pale, though."

Shizuka smiled. "It's okay. I just was lying around in the dark too long, missing So-chan. I'll be back to my old self soon enough."

Ryoko smiled, and bowed slightly. "Good. We all missed Sora-chan, but we missed you too, Shizuka-chan."

Sora grinned at her. "Yeah… Well, see you later, Ryoko-chan. And please, next time you girls want to welcome me back, don't chase me all over campus."

Ryoko giggled, and waved as Sora carried Shizuka up the stairs.

When they reached their room, the door was already open, and both Akiko and Chika were waiting inside, as well as Hiruma and Renée. Four bright smiles shone out as Sora entered.

Shizuka poked her head out from behind Sora's back and smiled. "Hey, everyone!"

Hiruma smiled and adjusted his glasses. "I thought you might make a speedy recovery once Sora-kun returned. Feeling better now, Shizuka-san?"

Shizuka giggled. "Yep! I've got my So-chan back, after all."

Sora smiled and set her down on the bed, and sat down beside her. Akiko frowned, and plopped herself down deliberately on his other side. Sora chuckled. "At it again already, eh?"

Chika giggled. "They're not the only ones, Sora…" She walked calmly over and seated herself primly in Sora's lap.

Shizuka's face seemed to puff up to about twice its normal size. "What… what do you think you're doing, sitting in my So-chan's lap?"

Akiko giggled. "Uh-oh… I think someone forgot to tell Shizuka-san about Chika-san…"

Chika stuck out her tongue. "Meet number three, Shizuka-san."

Shizuka deflated. "You've got to be kidding me." She giggled. "Well… I suppose that's just like you, So-chan. And now I know you must have had a good time over break."

Sora laughed. "Yeah… it was definitely fun." He glanced at Chika. "And she's pretty good at making me nervous too."

Chika giggled and glanced at Shizuka. "Well, I did learn from the best, after all."

Shizuka bowed. "You're too kind. Now…" She pointed outward. "Off of my boyfriend's lap!"

Chika hooked an arm around Sora's neck. "I don't think so. He's my boyfriend too, you know."

Sora laughed. "Aw, let her stay, Shizuka." Chika giggled and pecked his cheek.

Shizuka pouted. "Fine…" She smiled. "Say…"

Hiruma nodded, and picked up Sora's camera from its place on his desk. "Sure. Hang on a second…"

Everyone smiled and posed. Sora grinned widely, his eyes happy slits, and put an arm around Akiko and Shizuka. Akiko crossed her arms, blushing slightly at Sora's touch but also grinning, and Shizuka winked and raised one arm in a V-for-victory pose. Chika laughed, and wrapped her arm tighter around Sora, while raising her other arm in a clenched fist. Hiruma laughed and snapped a pair of shots. "There…"

Akiko smiled, and slid out from under Sora's arm. She picked up her bag. "Sora, do you mind if I use your bathroom?" she called, as she disappeared into it.

Sora blinked. "No, go ahead."

Shizuka giggled. "Changing into something more comfortable, Akiko-chan?"

Akiko laughed. "Of course. Kendo uniforms are very comfortable." She stepped out of the bathroom a moment later, attired in her usual kendo outfit.

Sora slapped his forehead. "That's right! The _shodan_ test is today!" He ran to his closet and took down his own _dogi_ and _hakama_, and ran into the bathroom. "Hang on a second!" He emerged a minute later, looking flustered but attired in full uniform. "Okay, Akiko, we'd better get going."

Shizuka pouted. "Aw… but you just got back!"

Sora smiled apologetically. "Sorry… here, maybe this'll make it up to you." He bent down and kissed her for about a minute.

Shizuka smiled as he drew back. "I'd forgotten how nice that feels…" She hugged him. "Go on. And good luck, So-chan."

Sora nodded, and headed for the door. He halted by Akiko's side. "You're coming, right? I mean, after how well you fought in the tournament, there's no way Sakata-sensei can keep you from taking the test."

Akiko paused. "Well… I mean, I'm only a high-school girl, after all."

Sora blinked, but then smiled and tousled her hair playfully. "So? Did you forget, Akiko? You're rival to me, the person who made it to the quarterfinals in a tournament open to _kendoka_ of all levels, including professionals with years of experience. I've always freely acknowledged you as an equal."

Akiko nodded. "Yeah, but you're the only one."

Sora smiled gently. "True… but after all, wasn't it to be recognized as more than just a pretty girl that you took up kendo in the first place?" He placed his hands on her shoulders. "You got a double point against me in our tournament match, and came within a hair's breadth of winning with your last attack. You're just as good as I am. All you have to do is make them recognize it."

Akiko stared into his eyes, her own deep blue eyes wavering slightly. "Sora…"

Sora smiled. "You can do it. I believe in you." He bent forward and kissed her.

As he drew back, Akiko nodded, a fire burning in her eyes. "Right. I'll show that hotheaded sensei of yours just how tough I am!"

Sora grinned. "Yeah. We'll both make the pro ranks tonight. Count on it!"

Shizuka gave him a thumbs-up. "Go for it, both of you!"

Chika grinned. "Yeah. But first…" She glanced around. "Come on, guys. What kind of homecoming is this to come back to?"

The others looked at each other, nodded, and turned to Sora. "Welcome home!" a chorus of voices called out.

Sora smiled happily, his eyes sparkling like quicksilver. "Yeah… I'm back."

Author's Notes: We return to "The World" next chapter, I swear! -hides-

Anyway... I do so love Saikano, even if it is the most tear-jerking anime I've ever seen... And yes, it really is sadder than Grave of the Fireflies. But it's so beautiful that you forgive its ability to make you cry like a baby from just watching one episode. There'll be a few scattered references to it in later chapters, but mainly it'll be something between Sora and Chika, so don't worry; I'm not going to bury you all in it.

On that note, the song "Sayonara" is copyright Yato Yuria (singer) and the rest of the team that wrote and produced it. Go buy her stuff! :D


	13. Present

"I'm back!" announced Haruko cheerfully as he entered the guild's Home.

"Took you long enough," replied an annoyed voice. Haruko's knees bent slightly as Zefie jumped onto his head and frowned down at him. "Idiot."

Haruko laughed. "Sorry… Renée-chan and the others made me stay out of 'The World' over vacation."

Zefie shrugged. "It's okay. Not much has been happening lately, anyway."

Haruko nodded. "Any new cases?"

Henako poked her head out from behind one of the many odd objects that Zefie had taken to filling the room with, and smiled. "Nope! There's one odd incident, but we've kept those nasty jellyfish from sending anybody else into the outer darkness!"

Haruko raised an eyebrow. "Odd incident?"

Zefie sighed. "Well… you would have found out sooner or later." She waved a hand, and a screen appeared in mid-air, displaying a scene from the Arena. Zefie pouted and seated herself primly on top of Haruko's head. "I'm surprised you haven't heard about it already. Wasn't Red with you over winter break?"

Haruko blinked. "You mean Alkaid? Yeah, she was. But what's she got to…" He trailed off. On the screen, Sirius entered the Arena, flanked by two figures. One was tall, clad in blue and white armor, and had odd, metallic-looking wings. White feathers floated around him, seemingly from nowhere. The other was even more enormous. Clad only in armor that covered his waist, and painted all over his exposed torso with blue wave tattoos, he smiled tightly.

Sirius strode forward confidently, and tore at the enemy fighters without mercy. Black dots played around his character, and he laughed insanely. "That's right! That's what you get for trying to steal 'it'!"

Haruko's eyes narrowed. "So, AIDA has infected another Arena Emperor? But why are those two helping him?"

Zefie shook her head. "They're not. They're sequestered in the Operations Folder, still guarding Azure Kite while he reforms."

Haruko blinked. "Reforms? Tri-Edge can do that?"

Zefie rapped on his head. "Idiot. Did you think Mommy would have made him if he could be destroyed that easily? In any case, he's under our control now." She frowned. "The strange part is, there is absolutely no sign of AIDA influence or malfunction."

Haruko scratched his chin. "In which case, we may have been chasing after the wrong person all along. After all…" He pointed to the frozen image on the screen. "However these things were made, they're copies of Azure Balmung and Azure Orca. Could AIDA have made one of Azure Kite as well?"

Zefie leapt lightly down to the ground. "No, actually. AIDA is making use of the Avatar Phase they captured from your bird-brained little sister."

Haruko blinked. "So… that means that Atoli had…"

Zefie nodded. "Innis, the 'Mirage of Deceit'. AIDA has augmented its own powers with the Second Phase, and created these illusory doubles."

Haruko frowned. "Can't we stop them?"

Zefie sighed. "I already commanded the real ones to go take out these idiot imposters, but they both responded that Mommy had given them orders not to." She frowned. "Apparently, they're waiting for the time to be right."

Haruko sighed. "So, what can we do?"

Zefie shrugged. "Not much. You came in late in the game- Cat-hair, Bird-brain, and Red are fighting in the Holy Palace tournament to get to him."

Haruko's eyes widened. "Alkaid is working with Haseo-kun? Why?"

Zefie spread her hands wide. "Who knows? She's your girlfriend, right?"

Haruko sighed. "Fine… I'll ask her later."

Helio poked his head in. "Haruko… you just got back from break. Should you be running about like this already? Classes don't start for another week- enjoy yourself!"

Haruko shook his head. "I can't, Helio-kun. You know that."

Zefie straightened suddenly. "AIDA contamination. Θ Choosing Sorrowful Two Wings."

Henako stood up. "So, are we going?"

Haruko nodded. "Come on, Helio-kun. We've got work to do." He smiled, strode calmly to the Chaos Gate, and warped out.

Late in the next afternoon, Akiko answered a knock at her front door to find Sora standing there, his hands behind his back. He grinned. "Eighteen's a big number, you know."

Akiko blanched. "Ack! Who told you?"

Sora laughed. "Trust me to at least know the birthday of my own girlfriend, Akiko. I've known for a while."

Akiko's mother, Ayako, poked her head in from the kitchen door and smiled. "Oh, Sora-kun! Come right in! Did you come to celebrate my little Akiko's birthday too?"

Sora smiled as he entered. "Yeah, I did. Nice to see you again, Ayako-san."

Ayako laughed. "I see you've brought along a present, too. You're a bit late- we already did the opening. Akiko, do you want to open it now?"

Akiko nodded. "Sure…" She took the large, box-shaped package from Sora and carried it into the dining room. "Let's see…" With a few quick motions, she ripped the paper away. She giggled. "A big, brown, cardboard box. Just what I always wanted!"

Sora rolled his eyes. "That joke's been done to death, Akiko. Just open it already."

Akiko rolled her eyes, and pulled open the top of the box. She smiled. "Cool!" She drew out a shiny new shinai and gave it an experimental swing. "Nice and light. I'll be sure to beat you down with it in our next match."

Sora rolled his eyes. "With a regular dojo shinai or with your own, you've no chance of beating me."

The next thing Akiko pulled out was a lake-blue _hakama_. She lifted it and shook it out, running her eyes over the fabric. Curling around the hem was a pattern- a Chinese dragon outlined in emerald thread. She grinned. "You've read me pretty well, Sora. So, then…"

She slid out the last item, a white _dogi_, and held it up. "I thought so. A full set of kendo stuff… nice!"

Sora grinned. "And there's a bit more you haven't seen yet."

Akiko blinked, and began rummaging through the box. Sora laughed. "Not there. Look closer at the stuff I just gave you."

Akiko shrugged, and held up each item in turn, twisting it in the light. Finally, just as Sora was about to come over and show her, she caught sight of a patch on the left fold of the _dogi_. "This patch… that's it, right?"

Sora nodded. "Remember what it is?"

Akiko's eyes flew wide. On the patch was an oak leaf, crossed by a Japanese katana. Kanji spelled out "_Tenken Kaze-ryu_", the name of Sora's kendo style. "It's… your dojo's symbol, right?"

Sora grinned. "You've got it. I finally got that geezer Sakata-sensei to see sense."

Akiko trembled. "But, that means…"

Sora's grin widened, and he held up his hand in a high-five sign. "Yeah. We both made it to the pros… Akiko-shodan. And you're now an official member of the dojo."

Akiko's lip trembled, and she stared up at Sora. Sora blinked. "Um… are you okay, Akiko?"

Akiko darted forward and flung her arms around his neck. "Everything's… wonderful," she sobbed happily. "Thank you so much, Sora…"

Sora smiled and patted her back gently. "Of course, Akiko. Now…" He grinned. "There's one more present, but it's not something you can put in a box." He gently took her hand. "Um… can we go somewhere alone for a bit?"

Ayako smiled. "Hmm… what are you two up to?"

Sora rolled his eyes. "Relax, Ayako-san. I'd never do anything to hurt her."

Ayako laughed as Sora moved to the door. "I know."

Akiko followed him into the front hall, but she trembled nervously. _What… what does he want? I mean, I don't think he'd ask to do 'that', but… you can never really tell what Sora's going to do._

Sora led her to the door and sat on the front porch; Akiko sat beside him, nervously blushing a little. Sora sighed, and gazed out at the setting sun. "Akiko… I've been thinking."

Akiko's face fell. "It's… not going to work, is it?"

Sora blinked. "What are you talking about? Being with you is wonderful, just as much as it is being with Shizuka, or Chika."

Akiko gazed at her feet. _So, what…?_

Sora smiled. "The thing is… I've done something with both of them to bring us closer. Shizuka and I became roommates, and for a while at least, Chika and I were living together… but I've never done anything with you, even though I've known for months that you love me." He smiled over at her. "So…"

Akiko cringed. _Here it comes… but what should I answer?_

Sora smiled. "The order's screwed up, but then, it was that way with Shizuka and Chika, too. But in any case, would you…"

Akiko tensed. _Yes. I'll do it, if you ask me. So ask…_

Sora's eyes shone brightly. "Would you like to go on a date? I mean, a real one, like a boyfriend and girlfriend usually should."

Akiko twitched. "Oh… a date?" She smiled. "Of course! I'd love to!" She hugged him, sighing with… was it relief?

Sora caught the sigh and chuckled. "Oops… I didn't even see that interpretation coming."

Akiko blinked. "Interpretation?" Her eyes widened, and she blushed.

Sora laughed. "I'm sorry… I got you thinking I was going to ask you to do 'it' with me, didn't I?"

Akiko turned bright red. "D-don't be ridiculous! I wasn't thinking of that at all!"

Sora laughed and hugged her tightly to him. "Hmmm… I think you were…" He smiled. "In any case, what matters is that this one was not thinking of that."

Akiko sighed happily and hugged him back. "So… you really want to take me on a date?"

Sora nodded. "Of course. We're in love, aren't we?" He drew back and looked calmly at her smiling face. "So… when should we go?"

Akiko giggled. "How about tonight? My party's over anyway."

Sora shrugged. "Sure. But do you think Ayako-san will mind?"

Akiko shook her head. "Nah. As long as we tell her first, she won't have a problem." She giggled. "Besides, I'm eighteen now. I can do what I like."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Okay. I'll wait out here while you tell her."

Akiko giggled. "Right. And I'd better change into something else, too." She glanced down at her casual Western outfit, and then at Sora, resplendent in his red-and-gold kimono and black _hakama_. Sora laughed as she turned and went inside.

Ayako looked up and smiled as Akiko came running back into the dining room. "Well, well… what's made you so excited, Akiko? Did Sora-kun give you an… interesting present?"

Akiko beamed. "Yeah! He asked me on a date!"

Ayako's eyes widened, and she threw her arms around her daughter. "Akiko, that's wonderful! So, when is it?"

Akiko giggled. "Well, he asked me when would be good… how about tonight?"

Ayako smiled. "Of course… that would make more sense, after all. Go right ahead; the party's long over anyway, right?"

Akiko giggled again. "Yeah. Thanks, Mom." She pecked Ayako's cheek and ran upstairs.

She slid open her closet doors and slowly went through each of her outfits. _A date… I'm really going on a date with Sora…_ About half of the outfits were immediately dismissed for being Western- much too casual for a night like this. She sighed, and made her way through her kimonos. Most of them were fairly plain, but even though she was very much a tomboy, Akiko had a few fancy outfits. She eventually picked three and laid them on her bed, frowning as she looked at each one. _Something's missing…_

Sora appeared in her doorway and gently rapped on the frame. "Any ideas yet? I could help, if you want."

Akiko shook her head. "Nah…" She lifted one. "I think I've got it." She came to the door.

Sora chuckled. "I thought you couldn't get one on by yourself."

Akiko rolled her eyes. "I took classes over break. Kimono Fastening 101. Now, let me get dressed in peace, you little pervert."

Sora gave her a pained look as she shut the door. "Pervert?" he mouthed.

Akiko giggled, and slowly began to take the kimono off of its hanger. She stopped suddenly, and glanced at the door. Her face lit up. _Perfect!_

When she came down a few minutes later, Sora was seated on the stoop again. As he turned and caught sight of her, his grin turned into a dumbfounded look. "Pretty…"

Akiko giggled, and twirled on the spot. "Thought I was just a tough-looking tomboy, eh Sora? I'm a girl, you know."

Sora laughed, and slowly ran his eyes over her outfit. Akiko was wearing a pale pink _furisode_, a kimono with long, hanging sleeves that nearly brushed the ground. _Sakura_ petals floated gently along the sleeves, and the bottom of the kimono was decorated with a picture of a cherry tree. At her waist, a wide, pale green _obi_ held the garment tightly against her, with a bow on the back. The ends of the bow trailed almost to the ground, and the entire _obi_ was decorated with embroidered blossoms.

Akiko giggled. "You like it?"

Sora nodded. "It's amazing. I didn't think you had anything like that in your closet."

Akiko laughed, and knelt down beside him. "So… shall we?"

Sora smiled, stood, and pulled her gently to her feet. "Yeah… Let's go on a date, Akiko." He took her hand, and led her out to the road. He turned left, and headed down the road. "So… what should we do first?" He blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "I got so caught up in deciding to go on a date with you that I forgot to plan what to do…"

Akiko rolled her eyes. "You know, you've very lucky you're so lovable when you're being an idiot." She glanced around. "Well, let's wander a bit and see where we end up. Maybe we could see a movie, or sit in the park, or get some dinner together…"

Her stomach growled fairly loudly, and she turned bright red. Sora laughed. "Well, I guess it's dinnertime. It _is_ six o'clock, after all."

Akiko scratched her head. "Where, though? I mean…" Her eyes lit up. "I know! How about that new Polynesian restaurant that just opened up a few blocks away? I've always wanted to try Hawaiian food…"

Sora laughed. "You've got good taste, Akiko. All right, lead the way."

Akiko nodded, and led him fairly quickly through the streets. They soon found the restaurant, and went in. Within a few minutes, their orders had been made, and they both sat back with tall glasses of lemonade. Sora grinned. "Not going to make use of your new status, I see."

Akiko rolled her eyes. "Why would I want to get drunk on a date? Especially my first date with my boyfriend…" She batted her eyelids playfully at him.

Sora laughed. "Point taken. We'll both want to be able to remember this."

A loud, raucous yell broke out from a bank of terminals behind them. Sora turned around, straw still in his mouth, to see a group of people gathered around a sneering, black-haired youth who had clearly just done something impressive.

"Man, he's crazy strong!" said one. "Nobody can beat the king of PKers!"

Another one laughed. "Yeah, not even that wussy Haseo can stop him."

Sora sighed, and stood up. "I'll be right back, Akiko." He walked up to the group, hands in his pockets and an annoyed look on his face. "Hey. Would you mind keeping it down? My girlfriend and I are trying to relax and enjoy ourselves. And I don't imagine most of the other customers enjoy hearing all that yelling."

The black-haired youth glanced over at him. "You're kidding me, right? Do you think I care?"

Sora shrugged. "Obviously not, or you wouldn't be making so much noise in the first place. Nevertheless, you're making a scene. Unless you're part of this restaurant's floor show, take it somewhere else." He grinned sheepishly. "Please? It's our first date, and I don't want it ruined by something like this."

One of the nearest people to Sora growled and grabbed him by a fold of his kimono. "Watch yourself, punk. Don't you know who you're talking to?"

Sora gently but firmly pulled the other man's hand away. "Yes, I believe I do. A player from 'The World' who calls himself the king of PKers… that would have to be the infamous Kuroshi-san. A high-ranking Kestrel member… he is strong indeed." He smiled tightly. "But I seem to remember wiping him out along with the rest of Kestrel a while ago, when you guys tried to interfere with Balmung-sama's event."

Kuroshi's eyes widened. "Haruko… I don't believe it. I got beaten by an idiot college student?"

Sora shrugged. "Age doesn't have much meaning in 'The World'. I personally knew a four-year old who would have mopped the floor with you."

Kuroshi clenched his fists. "You punk!"

Sora stepped lightly back as Kuroshi charged, and dodged his first attack easily. "Come on, let's not fight here. Like I said, we're not part of the floor show."

Kuroshi gnashed his teeth and charged again. "Shut up! I'm going to take you down!" He laughed evilly. "You can't hope to match me. After all, here in the real world you're just a punk kid!"

His fist flew so fast it almost blurred, but suddenly he stopped, grunted in pain, and fell to his knees. Akiko stood over him, fist still clenched. "You jerk… don't even think of trying to hit my boyfriend!"

Sora sighed. "Don't you think that's overdoing it a bit, Akiko?"

Akiko shrugged. "Well, our food just arrived, and you were taking so long, I thought I'd help out."

The other guys stared, dumbfounded. "Whoa… how'd a chick like that take down Kuroshi in one shot?"

Akiko grinned and flexed her arm. "Hey, I'm not just a pretty face, you know!"

She moved towards the others, but took too wide of a step and tripped. Sora quickly moved and caught her with one arm. "You okay, Akiko?" he asked.

Akiko groaned, and got to her feet. "Darn it… I'm not used to moving in this thing…"

Sora laughed, and took her hand. "Okay, enough of this. Let's just go eat."

Akiko smiled, and followed him back to their table, leaving Kuroshi and his friends shell-shocked in her wake. "Yeah. After all, we're on a date."

Author's Notes: Ugh, I forgot about this part... I do love how totally innocent Sora can be at times, though. It's one of my favorite things about him. :)

Anyway, my apologies to those of you impatient to get back to 'The World'. There's a lot more in the later half of this segment, and Segment 4 is shaping up to be pretty World-centric. Just hang in there...


	14. Heartbeat

Sora and Akiko spent the rest of the evening together. After they finished eating, Akiko eagerly led the way to the nearby movie theater, where they proceeded to argue over whether to see _Howl's Moving Castle_ (Sora's choice) or _Die Hard 7_ (Akiko's choice). Somehow, through a process neither of them was able to understand later, they eventually decided on _Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shambala_. By the end, each had an arm around the other, and their free hands were clasped tightly together.

They were still holding hands when they left the theater. Akiko sighed happily. "That was amazing… I always thought anime movies were either really weird or just plain lame, but that was…"

Sora grinned. "Yeah. Of course, I've seen this one before, so I knew you'd like it. Plenty of action sequences."

Akiko nodded. "And romantic scenes…" She pouted. "That's so sad, though, at the end, with Winry…"

Sora pointed to a group of people entering the theater. "Let's not spoil it for the next crowd, right?"

Akiko giggled. "Good point. Anyway, you know what I mean." She ran on ahead, towing Sora. "Come on, let's go to the park!"

Soon, they were seated on a small slope by the river. Akiko smiled. "It's such a beautiful, peaceful spot…"

Sora nodded. "Yeah. Anybody passing by will use the path up at the top, so we won't be disturbed." He grinned. "We could do anything we like…"

Akiko giggled, and slipped behind him. "You idiot…" She put her arms around him. "Well, right now what I'd like to do… is just this…"

She lay down, and drew Sora down as well to lie on top of her, his head on her chest. She sighed happily, and they both stared up at the starry skies. Sora smiled, feeling the gentle rise and fall of Akiko's chest beneath him. "This is nice…" he murmured.

Akiko smiled. "Yeah… You know something, Sora?"

Sora laid his hands on his chest and shrugged. "I know nothing. I'm an idiot, remember?"

Akiko giggled softly. "Well… you at least know how I hate it when people think of me as just a girl, and how I'm always so restless and hate staying still?" Sora nodded, and she continued. "Well… lying here with you, I don't care about either of those things. I'm content being a girl, because it means I'm your girlfriend."

Sora smiled. "I'm glad… those things have always troubled you." He sighed. "My turn… you want to know something interesting?"

Akiko blushed a fraction. "Um… what is it?"

Sora turned his head to the side and snuggled a little closer to her. "This is the first time… that I've ever been this close to a girl's breasts without feeling the least bit uncomfortable."

Akiko turned scarlet for a moment. Then, she giggled, and her blush faded. "You actually said the word, too. But what about Shizuka-san, or Chika-san?"

Sora smiled. "No. Chika let me sleep in her lap a few times, and of course Shizuka's always pressing me against hers, but… I always turn redder than you did just now when I'm that close to them. Not with you, though."

Akiko raised her head and looked at him, and he looked up into her eyes. She smiled peacefully and laid her hands on his chest, on top of his own hands. "Well, then… feel free to use mine as your pillow, and sleep for a while."

Sora chuckled softly, closed his eyes, and settled himself against her. After a little while, he opened his eyes again, smiling. "Your heart's going a mile a minute, Akiko."

Akiko blanched. "You… you can feel it?"

Sora chuckled. "Of course. Can't you feel mine?" He gently took one of her hands and slid it inside his kimono so it could directly touch his chest.

Akiko's eyes widened as a slow, strong beat began to pulse beneath her fingers. "Oh… Yes, I can. It's… strong…"

Sora smiled, and held her hand gently to his heart. "So, what's got you so agitated, Akiko? You can tell me."

Akiko sighed. "I've been thinking…" She closed her eyes. "Earlier, this evening, when you asked me on this date, do you remember what I thought you were going to ask?"

Sora blinked. "Um… yeah, but why…?"

Akiko tensed slightly. "Because… Sora, I just want to say this. I have to."

Sora nodded firmly. "Okay. I'll listen."

Akiko smiled. "Thank you…" Her face became tense again. "I… I was half-expecting it from the beginning. So, I had time to try and figure out what I'd answer."

Beneath her hand, Sora's heart began to beat faster. "Akiko…"

Akiko nodded gently. "I… I decided that if you asked… I would answer 'yes'."

Sora tensed, his heartbeat now rapid. "You… would?"

Akiko stroked his cheek gently. "If you asked me… then yes, I would."

Sora turned his head and stared up at the sky. "No wonder…"

Akiko nodded. "Yeah… And that's why my heart's beating so fast. Every minute that goes by, I wonder if you're going to really ask me."

Sora tried to sit up, but Akiko held him firmly to her. "But… do you want me to ask you that?"

Akiko gently held her hand against his heart, feeling the strong pulse. "I… I don't know. But… ever since Shizuka-san told me about the promise you made her…"

Sora sighed. "Akiko… I can't do 'that' with you just yet. I could never do that to Shizuka, or Chika. I love all three of you. And being with all of you is wonderful. But…"

Akiko nodded. "I know. You don't want to ever have to choose between us. I know. I just wanted you to know, I'm willing."

Sora clenched his fist. "That's just it, though! In the end, I'm going to have to pick one of you. And I don't want to do it!"

Akiko gently drew her other arm around Sora, so that she was holding him gently, with one hand on his heart. "I will never make you choose, Sora. I could never put you through so much pain."

Sora sighed. "But… I have to. Otherwise, we'll all feel even worse pain."

Akiko tensed slightly. "Then… please, if you have to choose… choose me."

Sora closed his eyes. "Akiko, I just don't know… After all, I can't choose you without hurting Chika and Shizuka, but I can't choose one of them without hurting you!"

Akiko shook gently. "I know that. But even so… I want to be the one who is with you. Forever."

Sora tried to sit up again, but she held him fast. "Akiko, please let me up for a minute. Just a minute, okay?"

Akiko tightened her grip. "No. I want you to stay with me! I don't ever want to stop feeling like we are now!"

Sora grit his teeth. "Let go!" He yanked hard on her arms and broke away. As he stood up, Akiko caught his hand and held it tightly. His eyes flared, and he grabbed her wrist and went to twist it. Before he could, though, he caught sight of Akiko's face, and stopped dead. Tears ran down her face, and her mouth was a miserable frown. "Akiko…" he murmured, releasing his grip.

Akiko let go of his hand, slumped back to the ground, and began sobbing. "Please… don't ever leave me…"

Sora knelt beside her and gathered her into his arms. "I'm right here, Akiko. Go ahead and cry your heart out. And then, tell me everything that's making you feel this way."

Akiko's eyes squeezed shut. "Sora…" she sobbed. Then she threw her arms around him and began to wail, tears running down her face as her body shook with sobs. Sora gently held her, rubbing her back and leaning her head on his shoulder.

After several long minutes, she lifted her head and gazed at Sora. "I… I'm a terrible person…" she murmured.

Sora stroked her hair. "Don't say that…"

Akiko shook her head. "No, I am. I can't give you up, no matter how hard I try."

Sora blinked. "Give me up?"

Akiko nodded. "I decided, months ago when I first fell in love with you… I decided I'd never make you choose between me and someone else. I decided that if you ever fell for someone else, I'd give you up and search for someone else to be happy with. But…" She leaned against his chest, sobbing. "I can't do it! Even though I'm hurting you, I can't let go!"

Sora hugged her tightly to his chest. "Of course you can't. If you could, it would mean that you never loved me in the first place."

Akiko pounded her fist weakly against him. "No… it just means I don't love you enough. That's why… I'm so terrible…"

Sora took his arms away. "Akiko…" he said softly. "Look at me."

Akiko slowly sat back and raised her head. She gasped. "Sora…"

Tears slowly ran down Sora's face. "Akiko… I love you. And you love me. That's all that matters. That you can't let me go is proof of that. And that is also why…"

Akiko put her hand on his cheek. "Don't… Please don't cry…" She leaned forward and kissed him gently. "Please?"

Sora sighed. "Akiko… what is it you want from me?"

Akiko trembled. "Everyone else… always treats me like a little girl. I'm sick of it. I've always hated the fact I was born a girl. But you…" She looked up at him, longing in her eyes. "You don't make me feel that way. I told you… with you, I can really feel okay about being a girl." She hugged him tightly. "I love you! You're the first person I've ever loved, and the only one! You're my boyfriend, and I…" Her voice wavered. "No… Yes, damn it! I do!" She bent close to his ear. "I want us to sleep together," she whispered softly. "Or rather… I want you to ask me, so I can say yes."

Sora's eyes widened. "You… wanted me to ask you, earlier? But… why?"

Akiko shook her head. "No. Even if it means I lose you, I can't tell you why. But I will tell you this." She stiffened slightly. "I think you're an absolutely wonderful person. You're the only one who really understands me, and accepts me as more than just a cute high-school girl."

Sora chuckled softly. "Well, I can't imagine you'd find many at your school, at any rate, considering those uniforms they make you wear."

Akiko twitched. "It's not funny! Do you have any idea how many perverts there are at that place who'll take a peek up my skirt the second they get the chance?" She beat her fists gently against his chest. "There's nobody, though! Nobody else gets it, except you! That's why… that's why I know you're the only boy I'll ever love!"

Sora blanched. "Akiko… you shouldn't say things like that. There's others…"

Akiko slammed her fist against him. "No, there aren't and there never will be! It's just you!" She grabbed his hands. "You're the only person in the world… who can treat me like a girl and yet still accept the 'me' that's behind this face!"

She dragged his hands down to her chest. "Please… please!" she sobbed hysterically. Sora held back from touching her, and she glared wildly. "See? You won't even touch me! Don't you love me, too?"

Sora's eyes were steady. "Akiko… just calm down." He pulled one hand out of her grip, and gently slid it through a fold of her kimono so that it lay on the center of her chest.

Akiko's eyes widened. "Sora… you…"

Sora stared calmly at her. "Should I stop?"

Akiko shook her head. "No…" She gently gripped his arm and pressed his hand closer to her. Her eyes closed, and Sora could feel her crazed heartbeat slowing down. She smiled. "It's warm…"

Sora blinked. "Warm?"

Akiko nodded. "Yeah… even though it's chilly out, your hand is still so warm…"

Sora smiled gently, and laid his free hand on her shoulder. "Yours was, too. And why not? We're in love, after all."

Akiko smiled softly, and slid her own hand in to lie on Sora's heart. "Yes… we are…" She giggled suddenly. "You know, that's just like you, Sora."

Sora blinked. "What is?"

Akiko giggled again, running a single finger down his arm. "Only you could actually have your hand inside my kimono and still not try and grab them."

Sora blushed, and grinned sheepishly, but he did not withdraw his hand. "Well… maybe I could be persuaded to. If you ask really nicely, that is."

Akiko giggled. "Just like a boy… Well, maybe not now. It's not as fun if you know it's coming."

Sora laughed. "I wouldn't know. I don't have any."

Akiko grinned evilly. "Oh, but you've got something of your own." She slid her hand down half an inch. "I'm already close by… shall I?"

Sora yelped. "Easy, Akiko… that's going too far."

Akiko nodded. "All right, then." She pouted worriedly. "Um… do you think we could go back to the way we were a few minutes ago? Before I ruined it with all my crazy talk of wanting you to ask me?"

Sora smiled. "Of course. But, one thing first." His face became serious. "Akiko, I'm not going to ask you tonight. Not just yet. But on the night I choose, I promise, if you're the one I choose, I'll ask you right then and there."

Akiko smiled. "I suppose that's the best offer I'll get out of you." She lay back in the grass, still holding Sora's hand to her heart. "Okay…"

Sora smiled. "Your heart's strong, too. Just like mine. And yet…" He chuckled, and gently withdrew his hand. "It's definitely a girl's heart."

Akiko giggled, and spread her arms out to hold him. "Well, that's all right. I am a girl, after all." She sighed happily as Sora lay on top of her again. "There we go…"

Sora laid his hands on his stomach and snuggled himself against her. "Comfy…"

Akiko giggled again, and wrapped her arms gently around him, carefully covering most of his body with her long sleeves as if they were a blanket. "Glad you like them. Well, good night, Sora."

Sora smiled, and closed his eyes, turning his head so that the sound of Akiko's heart filled his ears. "Good night, Akiko."

Akiko slid one hand inside his kimono, feeling the strong pulse under her fingers. As she let it lull her to sleep, one last lingering thought crossed her mind. _I don't ever want this strong heart of his to stop. Even if it means I have to stop my own pulse… I'll never let Sora's stop._


	15. Nosebleed

When Sora opened his eyes the next morning, he had no idea where he was. He glanced around. Posters of action heroes (like Bruce Lee) as well as the occasional powerful anime character (like Shishio Makoto) covered the walls. A soft, fleecy blanket lay over him, and a fluffy pillow was under his head. He went to move, but something held tightly to his chest, keeping him where he was. He looked down, to see a bushy head of sandy hair. "Akiko?" he murmured softly.

Akiko stirred, murmured something in her sleep, and snuggled against his chest. Sora smiled down at her, and embraced her gently. "So, this is your room, then…" he muttered. "Even in your own room, you try and act like a boy. That's just like you."

Akiko stirred again. "Sora?"

Sora grinned and ruffled her hair. "Hey… you're pretty cute when you sleep, Akiko. How'd we get here, though? Isn't this your room?"

Akiko looked up at him, eyes sparkling. "You're an amazingly sound sleeper, Sora. When I woke up, around midnight, I literally carried you all the way back here, and you didn't wake up once."

Sora blinked. "Seriously? You carried me? I'm half a foot taller than you!"

Akiko giggled again, and flexed one arm. "Yeah, but I'm strong, you know?" She snuggled against him again. "You're so nice to be with… like a big, warm teddy bear. I think I see why Shizuka-san wanted to be your roommate."

Sora rubbed her back, noting thankfully that she was wearing a T-shirt. "So, I really didn't wake up all the way back here?" He glanced down at himself. "Then how'd I get into boxers?"

Akiko giggled. "That tattoo of yours is really cool, Sora."

Sora blinked. "You didn't!"

Akiko rubbed his back. "Calm down, Sora. I was careful to preserve your modesty. And besides, you were half-awake at that point. Couldn't do much more than just stand up, though."

Sora frowned. "Well… I don't think I can let you get away with seeing me in my underwear, you know."

Akiko rolled her eyes. "I already made it up to you." She tweaked his nose. "I changed in front of you too. So there!"

Sora crossed his arms and huffed. "So what? I was half-asleep, and I can't remember it."

Akiko grinned wryly at him. "I could give you a repeat performance, if you want."

Sora half-closed his eyes. "Nah, I've got a better idea. This!" He darted his hand forward and squeezed her breast, hard.

Akiko's eyes flew wide open, and she let out a noise like a cross between a shriek and a whoop. "You beast!" she yelled.

Sora grinned. "Hey, you wanted me to, right?" He gave another squeeze.

Akiko giggled wildly, and gazed at his face. "Amazing… even when you're doing something like this, there's nothing but innocent fun on your mind." She ran a finger lightly across Sora's belly, causing him to laugh at the tickling sensation. "So what now?"

Sora shrugged, and slid a hand across her flat stomach. "Who knows?" He flexed one finger gently.

Akiko giggled, and slid her shirt up partway. "If you're going to tickle me, do it properly, Sora."

Sora grinned. "Okay." He dug his fingers into her firm belly and tickled her as hard as he could. Akiko burst out laughing, and dug her own fingers into his neck. "Gotcha!" she yelled triumphantly.

Ayako poked her head in and giggled. "I thought I heard a boy's voice in here. Hello, Sora-kun. Treating my daughter with dignity?"

Sora blinked. "Wait… Ayako-san didn't know about you bringing me back here?"

Akiko giggled. "No, she was already asleep when I made it back, so I just brought you straight up here."

Sora pulled her head against his chest and gave her a noogie. "You idiot…"

Akiko yelped and fought to get away. "You're the one who's an idiot, idiot!" Sora took his hand away, and she cuddled up against his chest, laying one ear flat against it as she looked up at him. "I love this sound…"

Ayako put a hand to her mouth and giggled. "My, my… it seems my daughter's become utterly smitten with you, Sora-kun. Planning on making me a grandmother any time soon?"

Sora and Akiko both turned the exact same shade of bright red. "Of… of course not!" yelped Sora. "It's way too early to think about things like that!"

Ayako giggled. "Oh, I'm not so sure about that. Akiko's a big girl now. She's eighteen, you know."

Akiko yelped. "Mom…!" She pouted. "Come on, just because I'm old enough to have fun with him doesn't mean I'm old enough for kids." She shrugged. "And even though I'd love to, he's being a pain about even just 'that'."

Sora blushed again. "Well, you know why already. I couldn't do that to Chika or Shizuka."

Akiko pouted again. "Yeah, I know. Geez, just pick one of us already instead of stringing us out like this."

Sora's eyes twinkled. "Okay, then, I'll go with Shizuka. She's already expressed an interest in 'that' as well. That okay with you?"

Akiko thumped him over the head with her fist. "No, it's not! I already told you I want you to choose me!"

Sora smiled. "See? Seriously, I can't do that to any of you."

Akiko nodded. "In time, you'll be able to. And when that time comes… I really do hope I'm the one you choose."

Sora stroked her hair one last time, and slid out of the bed. He chuckled. "Your hair goes crazy in the morning. It's like a bird's nest up there."

Akiko threw her pillow at him. "Grow up, Sora." She slipped out of bed as well, revealing that she was also wearing boxer shorts beneath her T-shirt.

Sora laughed, one hand behind his head. "Are you kidding? That's part of what makes being with you three so fun. I mean, there's no way I could share a bed with a pretty girl like Shizuka and not do 'it' with her if I wasn't like this, right?"

Akiko giggled, and hugged him. "Right."

Sora gently hugged her back. "So… did you have a good birthday, Akiko?"

Akiko looked up at him. "Yeah. But one more thing, though." She put a hand on his cheek. "Okay?"

Sora laughed. "Sure." He bent close. "Happy birthday, Akiko." Their lips met, and then they were in one another's arms. Ayako smiled, and left them alone together. _Those two… I hope he stays with her. He'd be a wonderful husband for her._ She sighed, and glanced sadly up at a portrait in the hall. She gently touched the male figure in the frame. _Don't you think so too, Itou?_

That evening, after spending the day with Akiko and making plans for another date, Sora drove Chika to the airport. The mood in the car was glum; even the presence of Renée, Hiruma, and Akiko in the backseat couldn't help. Sora sighed as he stopped the car. "Well…"

Chika laid her hand on his. "It's all right. We'll see each other soon, right?"

Sora nodded. "Of course."

Akiko grinned. "You'd better come back and see us sometimes. Don't you dare make Sora cry, or I'll come and pound you flat!"

Hiruma smiled. "We'll miss you, Chika-san. Keep in touch, all right?"

Chika giggled. "Of course. That's what email is for. And cellphones, of course- sometimes, it's nice just to hear the other person's voice."

Sora grinned sheepishly. "You're forgetting one more method…" He drew a slim yellow volume from under the seat and held it up.

Chika burst into laughter. "You're serious, aren't you?"

Sora laughed. "Of course. It's me, remember?"

Hiruma looked at the volume. He turned to Renée, and at the same time, they said, "Is that what I think it is?"

Akiko shook her head. "I don't get it…"

Sora shrugged. "Well, you didn't watch _Saikano_. But you and Renée-chan did, Hiruma-kun?"

Hiruma nodded. "Yeah. Renée already knew about it, so she and I watched it together." He frowned. "I'm still somewhat disappointed with the ending."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "Huh? That cutesy, together-again-at-last, freeze frame ending was a disappointment?"

Hiruma blinked. "Freeze frame? That was episode ten."

Chika nodded. "Right. That was the ending."

Hiruma groaned. "Oh, for the love of… Tricking you into watching it in the first place was bad enough; I didn't think Miho-san would trick you into not finishing it, too." He sighed. "You two… there are thirteen episodes of _Saishuu-heiki Kanojou_, not ten."

Sora and Chika looked at each other. "Really?" Sora muttered. "Why…?"

Renée sighed. "I imagine Miho-san was trying to protect you two. Episode ten is a perfectly workable ending for the series, and there are many painful scenes after that."

Chika clenched her fist. "Well, we'll just have to watch them together, right?"

Hiruma shook his head. "Don't. They're painful, and the ending is oddly akin to _Eva_'s. In fact, it is rumored that one of the fan groups that subtitled it for American viewers put a note at the end of 10: 'Warning: This is the end of all happiness in _Saikano_.' Don't watch it. Pretend that I never told you that ten wasn't the ending."

Sora grinned wildly. "Who do you think we are, Hiruma-kun? Chika and I made a promise to watch it together. That doesn't change, no matter what."

"You've got it!" Chika took the book from his hands. "An exchange diary, huh… Might be fun, eh, 'Shuu-chan'?"

Sora twitched. "You're going to keep calling me that, aren't you?"

Chika grinned impishly. "Until the day I die. And maybe even after that, too."

Sora snickered. "Dummy… Well then, I'll call you 'dummy' just as long."

Chika clasped his hand in her free one. "Okay. We'll promise to watch the ending together, next time we see each other."

Sora nodded. "It's a promise. No matter what kind of ending it is, we won't look away." He smiled. "Ja ne, Chika."

Chika giggled, and got out of the car. She pouted. "Hey, you're not going to just send me off like that, right?"

Sora rolled his eyes, got out of the car, and took her in his arms. "Of course not, you dummy." He drew close and kissed her.

Chika smiled as she drew back. "I really will miss you." She held up the diary. "We'll each send it off once a week, okay?"

Sora nodded. "Right." He patted her head. "See you soon, dummy."

Chika giggled, turned, and jogged off. "Bye, 'Shuu-chan'." She waved as she passed through the airport doors.

Sora laughed, started the car, and headed off with the others. Back at the dorm, he sent Akiko off with a kiss and a laugh, and waved as Hiruma and Renée went into their room. He smiled and entered his own room.

As he passed the bathroom, he heard water running. He blinked. _Chika took a shower right before we left… did I leave the water running?_ He entered. "Hello?" He blinked, hearing nothing. He shrugged. _Well, I could use a shower, too… it's getting pretty late…_ He slipped off his clothes quietly, slid the curtain back a fraction, and stepped under the stream of water, closing his eyes as he entered. He sighed, content.

Without warning, someone embraced him from behind, pressing herself firmly against him. He gulped. "Shizuka?"

The only response was an affirmative giggle. "But… I'm not wearing anything…"

Shizuka giggled again. "Neither am I, So-chan…"

Sora turned red. "Shizuka… what are you doing? I called out, but you didn't say anything…" He tensed, trying to ignore the sensation of her flesh against his.

Shizuka hugged him harder, causing his hair to stand on end. "Well, if I had said something, we wouldn't be in this wonderful position right now. The casts are finally off, my So-chan's come home from vacation, and I intend to take full advantage of this situation." She wrapped one leg around him. "Come on, So-chan…"

Sora let out a yelp, and jerked in her arms, accidentally banging his head into her face, and then slumped to the floor of the shower stall, eyes whirling. "Oro…"

Shizuka giggled, and knelt down beside him. "Oh, relax, So-chan. I'm not going to take you here."

Sora blinked. "No?" He squeezed his eyes shut.

Shizuka's smile broadened. "Nope. Instead, we're going to clean each other up, and then I'll take you in our bed. Or would you prefer my cozy old sleeping bag?"

Sora twitched. "I… I can't do it…" He bolted upright and slipped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel and flung it around him, a panicked look on his face.

Shizuka flung the curtain back and stepped out. "Wait a minute, So-chan."

Sora squeezed his eyes shut. "Shizuka… I'm not ready yet. Not to be looked at, and certainly not to see you… n… naked…"

Shizuka laid a hand on his arm. "So-chan… look at me."

Sora inched his eyes open, desperately trying to keep them on her face. "I'm sorry, Shizuka… I can't…"

Shizuka stood upright. "I said to look at me! So-chan, in all my years of flirting with men I've never once offered to them what I'm offering to you now. It's taking every ounce of courage I have to be naked in front of a boy- especially you- so…" She trembled. "I want you to look at me. I want to know…"

Sora gripped his eyelids with his fingers and forced them open. "Shizuka…"

Shizuka shook her head. "If you don't like how I look, then nothing else matters."

Sora came close and laid his hands on her shoulders. "Shizuka… what's this about? Tell me that first."

Shizuka nodded. "I owe you that much, I guess. It's about… Amy-chan." She sighed. "I know part of it was AIDA talking, but I can't get it out of my head."

Sora gazed into her eyes. "It's better to forget that night, Shizuka."

Shizuka shook her head. "I can't! Don't you see? I can't forget about it! When she attacked me, she… she saw me… naked."

Sora nodded. "Right… you were getting out of the shower when she came in, right?" AIDA-Amy's words ran through his mind again, and his eyes blazed. _Oh, yeah… She was here, and you weren't, so I warmed myself up for you._ "She did more than just that, if I recall correctly."

Shizuka shivered. "Yeah… that was horrible…" She shivered again. "I can tell you this much, I'm not like your friend An-san." She sighed. "While that was happening, though… she kept making cracks about my figure. She said I was pathetic, and that no boy who ever saw me naked would ever want to have sex with me- so I should enjoy the favor she was doing for me- and that I had a lame body… and…"

Sora cut her off. "Enough. It got to you; you don't have to relive more of that. You said it yourself- it was AIDA talking, and not Amy-chan."

Shizuka clenched her teeth. "But what if it was true? I know boys follow me around, and you call me pretty from time to time and blush whenever you get near my breasts… but what if she was right? I can't get it out of my head…"

Sora stepped back and slowly, deliberately ran his eyes over her body, blushing furiously. "She was absolutely wrong, Shizuka. If I was any other boy in the school- on the planet, even- I would probably have to employ every ounce of my will to keep from trying to take you."

Shizuka smiled. "Aw, that's sweet, So-chan. But then again, you love me. How do I know you're not saying that?"

Sora stepped closer to her, blushing redder by the second. "Here's how." He spun her around, embraced her from behind, and cupped her breasts. "In love or not, would I do this just to make you feel better?"

Shizuka smiled. "It's you, So-chan. Of course you would." She sighed, and taking hold of his hands pressed them more tightly against her. "But I can tell, just from the way you're holding me, that you're not. If I didn't have nice breasts, you would be hesitating, just a little bit. I've been groped before by boys who really didn't have interest in girls smaller than a D-cup, so I can tell."

Sora was blood-red by this point. "Um… can we stop talking about b… b… Girl's chests? Please, can we stop talking about that now?"

Shizuka let him go. "Oh? Perhaps we should talk about what lies a little lower down, then?" She pouted. "I wouldn't mind you having a little look down there…"

Sora sighed. "No, Shizuka. I'm not even remotely ready for something like that." He paused, and then stepped back into the shower, tying the towel tightly around him. "I'm not ready for this, either, but if it'll make you feel better, come here."

Shizuka giggled. "Going to take me in the shower, So-chan? Careful not to slip!"

Sora shook his head. "Not on your life, Shizuka. I'm not ready yet, especially with a girl like you."

Shizuka smiled. "Oh, intimidated, are you? You shouldn't be- you've got a body most men would kill to get."

Sora blushed. "Just get in here and let me wash you, okay? I couldn't let you wash me if I had the courage of Hercules and Leonidas rolled into one, but I think I can muster up enough to give you a good washing."

Shizuka's eyes lit up. "Well then, let's get started, So-chan!" She darted forward and hugged him, giggling as he drew the shower curtain back across.

Half an hour later, Shizuka and Sora were cuddled up in the sleeping bag. Shizuka giggled. "Ooh, my nerves are still on fire after that. Thanks, So-chan! I couldn't be happier right now!" She paused. "Well, unless you and I slept together now. That would be the most wonderful thing ever."

Sora shook his head, and hugged her. "No. It's a huge concession to let you only be wearing your underwear right now; I'm just not ready for that."

Shizuka pouted. "I know… but it would be so easy for you to just get rid of this nasty bra that keeps getting in the way. Your hands are right there and everything…"

Sora rolled his eyes, and responded by pulling the sleeping bag tight around them. "There. Now your hopes of sleeping with me tonight are dashed, let's just go to sleep, okay?"

Shizuka pouted. "But, I really do want to have sex with you, So-chan." She hugged him to her. "You know, a girl's virginity is one of the most precious gifts she can offer to a guy. You shouldn't pass it up lightly."

Sora shook his head. "This isn't being light, Shizuka. And in the meantime, Akiko's offered it to me, too."

Shizuka's eyes widened. "The tomboy wants a stud like you to sleep with her? For real?"

Sora shrugged. "Guess my natural charm is even greater than I thought." He paused. "Speaking of that… I slept like this with Akiko last night, in her bed."

A groan sounded from above them. "Great… broadcast it to the whole world, Sora. Why not?"

Sora looked up. "Akiko?"

Akiko shook her head disapprovingly. "It's only seven-o'clock, you two. You can't be going to bed so early."

Sora shrugged. "Not really, but Shizuka wanted to cuddle, so…" He blinked. "Wait, why are you here?"

Akiko shrugged. "Why not?" She sat down deliberately on top of both of them.

Sora rolled his eyes. "Anyway… would you mind letting me stay with her on weekends?" He glanced up. "Assuming it's okay with Ayako-san, of course."

Akiko blinked. "I… I was just coming here to ask you that! I already got permission from Mom; I just needed yours."

Shizuka pouted. "You don't want to spend all your time with your beloved Shizuka?"

Akiko giggled. "No, he wants to spend an equal amount of time with his beloved Shizuka-san and his beloved Akiko. Right?"

Sora grinned widely. "Right!" His eyes grew wide and sad. "Please, Shizuka?"

Shizuka blanched. "Augh! Puppy-dog face! I can't resist that!" She giggled. "Of course I'm okay with it, So-chan. Poor Akiko-chan would go nuts if she had to sleep alone every night from now on. I seem to recall you being unable to sleep the first night I was in the hospital."

Akiko laid a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks, Shizuka-san." She grinned. "See you on Friday night then, Sora!"

"Friday night? What are you girls doing with Sora-kun this time?" Hiruma entered, looking somewhat disheveled.

Akiko looked up. "Hey, Hiruma-san. What are you doing in here?" She bent and loosened the sleeping bag's cord.

Hiruma shrugged. "I have no idea. Renée insisted that I come in here, because she had some news and she wanted Sora-kun to be present."

Sora slid out of the sleeping bag and pulled on his shirt. "Okay… where is she?"

Hiruma shrugged again. "On her way."

Shizuka began to move out of the bag as well. "I wonder what's up?"

Sora blanched. "Hold it, Shizuka- you'll give Hiruma-kun a nosebleed."

Hiruma groaned. "She's not naked, is she?"

Shizuka shook her head. "Nope! I'm wearing my undies."

Hiruma blinked. "And nothing else?" He raised an eyebrow, grabbed a nightgown from a pile by the door, and tossed it at her. "In that case, Sora-kun's right. Put that on before you come out of there."

Shizuka grabbed the gown, pouted, and ducked down again. "Aww…"

Renée entered the room, looking flushed. "Oh… good, you were here. And Shizuka-san and Akiko-san as well… that is good. Sit down. I have some news for you."

Hiruma and Sora seated themselves on the bed. Akiko climbed up and squatted behind Sora. Renée smiled. "Well… you all know, of course, that Hiruma-kun and I have been lovers for quite some time now; almost a month, in fact."

Akiko blinked. "Wait… physically, you mean?"

Renée giggled. "Indeed, I do. I take it your relationship with Sora-sama remains… platonic?"

Shizuka grumbled from inside the sleeping bag. "Yeah, but not for lack of trying on my part- or hers, from what I hear!"

Renée nodded. "Well… you see, being a girl, I of course have a little… cycle, let us call it. And that cycle should have come around again nearly four days ago."

Akiko's eyes widened. "You don't mean…"

Renée smiled. "I have been sick to my stomach for the past few days, and so I began to suspect…" She held up a small stick with an indicator window at the end. "And so I decided to test those suspicions."

Akiko gasped. "Blue…"

Sora lit up. "Renée-chan…"

Hiruma's eyes widened in shock. "It… can't be…"

Renée smiled widely. "It is. I'm… pregnant."

Shizuka burst of the sleeping bag, now clad in her nightgown, and leapt to embrace her. "Renée-chan, that's wonderful news!" She paused. "Well, I guess you'll have to miss some school in September, but who cares! Oh, you're going to look so beautiful this summer…"

She backed off, and Sora immediately enfolded Renée in a bear hug. "I'm so happy for you, and for Hiruma-kun, too. You really were hoping for it, weren't you?"

Renée giggled. "Not really hoping… but then, I did not think about it much. We were having fun, and then this resulted… but it is a wonderful feeling, all the same."

Hiruma sat dumbstruck. "Pregnant… I got her pregnant… what am I going to do?"

Renée smiled, and kissed him tenderly. "You are going to become a father, that's what." She laid his hand on her stomach. "It is good that you are a medical student, no?"

Hiruma gulped, feeling her warm belly under his hand and knowing what now lay within. "I… I'm going to be a father…" He surged upwards and hugged Renée tightly. "A father… I can't believe it!"

Renée laughed lightly. "And I am going to become a mother…"

Sora hugged both of them. "And a child is going to be born, forged from the love in your two hearts… Suddenly, September can't seem to come fast enough."

Renée giggled again. "I am sure that the sight of your little friend Renée with a big round belly will… 'tide you over'."

Sora blinked. "Point taken. Fine, I can't wait until June comes, then. I'm going to have to stay in Japan over the summer just to see how beautiful you look."

Renée laughed. "Oh, I'll send you pictures while you're in Hawaii. And I might still be pregnant in September, so…"

Hiruma sighed. "I can't believe it… when the new school year comes around, our baby will come with it." _Our baby_, he thought. _It's still like a foreign phrase to me…_

Renée smiled. "Yes…"

Sora clapped Hiruma on the shoulder. "Man, this is amazing."

Hiruma nodded. "Yeah… Can we talk for a little, though? There are some things I want to try and figure out, and they're not things I want to talk about in front of the girls."

Sora nodded, and left the room with him. Shizuka squealed. "I still can't believe it… I have to go tell Ryoko-chan and the others, so they can congratulate you two!"

Renée giggled as she left the room, and then sighed and sat down by Akiko. "So… what do you think of this all, Akiko-san? You did not say anything while the others were still here."

Akiko sighed. "I'm… I'm…"

Renée smiled. "Relax. There is no one else here but me. Go ahead."

Akiko clenched her teeth. "I'm jealous of you. So jealous…"

Renée blinked. "Jealous?"

Akiko laid a hand on her stomach. "I want what you have, Renée-san. I want my boyfriend to sleep with me and get me pregnant."

Renée's eyes widened. "You mean Sora-sama…"

Akiko squeezed her eyes shut. "Yes… I want to bear a child for him. I want to see myself take him in, and grow bigger, and walk around with a swollen belly for a few months, and then give birth… I can't even begin to tell you how much I want all of that to happen. I'm even looking forward to morning sickness, if it means I can have his kid!"

Renée smiled, and gently drew her into a hug. "He really means that much to you? Knowing how hard a process childbirth is, you still desire exactly that of him?"

Akiko nodded, sobbing softly in her arms. "I can't think of anything more wonderful than having that happen. I want it to be me going to him and showing him that blue indicator."

Renée patted her back gently. "And I can think of no better person for him than one who loves him so much. Why don't you tell him that you want this?"

Akiko blanched. "I can't! You saw what Hiruma-san's reaction was when you first told him. He'll react just like that, if I tell him I want a child, and I'll lose him! I couldn't bear to even take that risk!"

Renée gently rubbed her back. "There, now… calm down." She sighed. "You should tell him. I know he will not react in the way that you fear he will. And in the end, it may well draw the two of you even closer, and allow you to truly become his one girlfriend- and perhaps even his lover."

Akiko sighed. "Thank you… I'd better get home. Congratulations, and good luck. I hope you find as much happiness with Hiruma-san as I hope to with Sora."

Renée smiled. "You will find that happiness with Sora-sama, Akiko-san. And if it happens soon enough, I promise I will be right there, guiding you through your own pregnancy, as I pass through mine a few months ahead."

Akiko hugged her. "Thanks…" She stood up and went to the door. "Bye, Renée-san."

Renée lay back on the bed, smiling happily. "Yes… she would make a wonderful mother for Sora-sama's child. I hope that she confesses to him, and soon. When she does, I know he will grant her dear desire." She smiled, and ran her hands over her stomach. "A mother… I cannot believe it… I wonder what I will look like when September arrives?"

Author's Notes: Sigh... I should probably shoot myself in the face over this chapter... but what the heck. As for Akiko's desire, I'd hardwired that into her character pretty much when I first thought to make her be after Sora. This was just an opportunity to get her to say it. Plus, it also gave me an opportunity to let Shizuka be her usual, wild self... and give more insight into her character as well, which is a huge part of this segment. Anyway, 'The World' is finally, FINALLY coming back into things; I checked ahead and the next five chapters are all at least half inside of the game, and three are either fully or almost fully inside. So those readers impatient for some more World content will be finally pleased by the next chapter, which is one of the ones entirely inside of 'The World'.


	16. Talk

Haruko sighed and stretched, looking around the new intermediate-level Home. "Isn't this place great?" he said to nobody in particular.

Twilight Grunty poked him from behind. "I thought you hated Dol Dona. -kya-" Like all the other Grunties, it ended its sentences with a unique sound- in his case, the "kya!" sound often heard from karate users and kung-fu movie stars.

Haruko chuckled. "It's not that at all. On its own, it's a perfectly fine place. It's just that as a replacement for Dun Loireag, the previous Theta server Root Town, it's a pale imitation." He turned and ruffled Twilight Grunty's hair, which was a near-perfect copy of his own, down to the headband he'd worn in his first form. "But the Home is cool, nonetheless."

Twilight Grunty shrugged, and spun around so his white cape twirled. "It's okay. -kya- I still am waiting hopefully for the Sigma server to come back on-line, so we can use the advanced Home again."

Haruko blanched. "Argh! Even though that is a good Home, I'm really annoyed by Breg Epona. Having a futuristic city named after a Celtic goddess, and in a game where everything else is green and nature-themed, makes no sense. I hate that place…"

Twilight Grunty nodded. "So, you prefer Dun Loireag, then? -kya- I wish I could see it, if it was that wonderful… -kya-"

Zefie leapt down, seemingly from nowhere, bounced off of the heads of both Haruko and the Grunty, and landed neatly between them. "Just ask, pig thing." She grinned. "They gave them upgrades, but I'm still way smarter than it."

Twilight Grunty gave an indignant snort. "Just show us! -kya-"

Zefie gave him an infuriating look. "That's how you ask nicely for something?"

Haruko patted her head. "Please, Zefie-chan? He wasn't around before the advent of R:2, so he's never seen the old Root Towns."

Zefie gave a wide shrug. "Okay, since at least you're being polite."

She raised her hand, and a small screen appeared in front of them, displaying an image of a highland village among mountain peaks. Clouds and wave paintings seemed to flow around the place, and slim bridges connected the peaks to one another. Twilight Grunty's eyes widened. "I see… -kya-"

Zefie rolled her eyes. "Do they all have to do that?"

Haruko chuckled. "Why not? I think it's funny. And kind of cool. Kya!"

Zefie raised a fist, and a boxing glove materialized on it. Haruko backed away, hands raised and a sheepish grin on his face. "Easy, easy… I was just kidding, Zefie-chan. No need to bring out the boomerang hook…"

Zefie grinned, but before she could say anything, Helio burst in, looking flustered. "Haruko!"

Haruko turned. "Ah, Helio-kun. What's wrong?"

Helio grit his teeth. "Aquarios just surfaced. He says he's getting bored with just attacking random players, and he wants a fight!"

Haruko rubbed his chin. "Interesting… I'd be willing to give him one, if that's what he wants." He turned. "Zefie-chan, can you send a message to Yuki-chan? Tell her to follow me and Helio-kun, and join us. We'll need a full complement of fighters against him, and from what I've seen, magic will be key to victory."

Zefie nodded, suddenly serious. "Got it. I'll find her now." She spun on her heel and vanished in a whirl of pink energy.

Haruko turned. "Okay… where is he?"

Helio nodded. "He's waiting for you at Θ Wandering Soulless Melancholy."

Haruko raised his eyebrows. "Cheerful name. And he's using an actual field, instead of a home base like Leukos-san had?"

Helio shrugged. "Perhaps not ordinary, but it's reachable from the Chaos Gate… sort of. Those are non-standard words; if he hadn't given them to us, we wouldn't have been able to use the warp."

Haruko nodded. "Then there won't be any innocents who might get hurt. That's good." He grinned. "Okay, let's go!"

Helio paused. "He… asked for a duel. Maybe I should stay out of this."

Haruko shook his head, smiling still. "No way. We're doing this together. And besides… it's been a long time since we've fought together, and I'd love a chance to really see your skills in combat."

Helio nodded. "All right…" The two players quickly made their way to the Chaos Gate, and warped out.

Aquarios' chosen field turned out to be a wide, flat expanse, dotted here and there with hills and valleys. The ground was white, and snow fell from a black sky. The effect was actually peaceful; both Haruko and Helio remembered this type of field from older days, before the C.C Corp fire and the advent of "The World R:2". Haruko tilted his head back and stared happily up into the dark skies. "A snow field… I love these!"

Helio drew out his fans and readied for combat. "Keep your guard up, Haruko. We were called here for a fight, after all."

Haruko smiled, and suddenly spun on his feet. A flash of light split the air as he swung his katana in a wide arc, and an ice boulder that had been flying at him fell to the ground in two pieces. "You know me better than that, Helio-kun. I'm always alert for danger." He looked in the direction from where the boulder had come. "So, Aquarios of the White Wave… ready?"

Aquarios sneered down at them. "Yes, I am." He extended his hand, and the same black glaive he had used before materialized.

Haruko took off so fast, a plume of snow exploded in his wake, and struck Aquarios hard. "I won't let you hurt anyone else, Aquarios! It ends here!"

Aquarios sneered, and slammed his shield into Haruko's stomach. "Yes, and it will end with your death!"

Helio ran up, glasses flashing. "I will never allow that to happen." He charged in as Haruko stumbled back, whirling his fans. "Not while I still live!"

Aquarios snorted, swinging down. "You'll protect him? Do you really think that the fact that you're here will make the slightest difference?"

Helio nimbly evaded the slash, pushed his opponent's shield arm out of the way, and unleashed a spinning flurry of blows to Aquarios' unprotected torso. The injured PC gasped and stumbled back. Helio stood calmly, adjusting his glasses in the same way Hiruma always did. "I watched you fight with Haruko before. I've seen all your attacks, and know your style of combat as if it were my own."

Haruko grinned, and banked a Lei Zas spell off of the back of Aquarios' head. "I wouldn't take Helio-kun lightly, Aquarios. Seven years ago, he and I fought side by side against Morganna. He's just as good at tactical fighting as I am, and with his grey magic added to my physical attacks, we're a dangerous team."

Helio smiled. "We would have made a great Arena team. And when our third member arrives, you'll really have no chance."

Aquarios grinned tightly. "I'm not so sure of that." He raised his hand. "You forget… just as Leukos controlled the earth, I control water. And that includes ice and snow!" The wind suddenly began to blow fiercely, and the snow became a vicious hailstorm that pelted the group, dealing blows to both Haruko and Helio that left stinging welts on their real bodies. Aquarios laughed. "I am protected by my Lady's grace… but what of you?"

Helio raised his head, smiling grimly. "Pitiful. Pain may be a distraction to some, but a well-disciplined mind like mine can shut it out and focus on the job at hand." He spun on the spot and cast Suvi Lei, paralyzing Aquarios.

Haruko grinned. "And I'm just too stubborn to be beaten by something like this. I did live through a Data Drain, you know." He charged forward and unleashed his Whirlwind skill on the defenseless Aquarios.

Helio nodded, smiling. "Just like old times, eh Haruko?"

Haruko laughed. "You got it, Helio-kun." He whirled and knocked Aquarios flying with a charged attack.

Aquarios grit his teeth. "Why you…" His paralysis ended, he caught both of Haruko's next attacks on his shield, and then whirled and dealt him a stunning two-handed blow from his glaive.

Haruko grit his teeth and cast Ol Repth. "Not bad…"

Aquarios slammed his hand onto the ground, and black dots flooded out from it. "Arise, my mighty servants!"

Haruko and Helio stared around as a pair of monstrous creatures began to rise out of the snow. They were tall, at least three times a normal PC's height, and their giant-like bodies seemed to be composed entirely of snow and ice. Helio adjusted his glasses and glared up at them. "Elementals…" he muttered.

Haruko whistled. "Not bad, Aquarios. Those look pretty nasty." He put his hands on his hips. "Man, but three on two just isn't very fun. I mean, I bet we could take them if it was just them against us, but adding a Disciple into the mix doesn't tip the scales in our favor."

Aquarios laughed. "Exactly!" One of the elementals slammed its fist down, making Haruko jump back, and Aquarios laughed and charged him. Haruko barely managed to block the attack, and then whirled to see Helio squirming in the grasp of the other elemental.

Helio glared up at the creature. "Vak Don!" he shouted, slamming a barrage of fireballs down on its arm. The arm began to melt, and the creature roared in pain, but before it fell apart entirely, it reared back and threw Helio as hard as it could towards a black, jutting rock.

There was a sudden burst of wind, the snow flew apart, and a loud thud was heard. Aquarios laughed. "That takes care of one."

The snow cleared, and his eyes widened. Haruko stood just in front of the rock, holding a clearly unharmed Helio. Helio slipped down to the ground and smiled. "Thank you for saving me, Haruko." He looked up at the creature. "I miscalculated their reach, somehow. Or maybe they can stretch their arms…"

Haruko grinned. "So, you say you need combat data? Well, wait here and I'll get it!"

Helio chuckled. "Reckless as always… it won't work, though."

Haruko shrugged. "Then what about this?" He thrust out his arm, and the bracelet shone brightly. "Data Drain!" he yelled.

Aquarios laughed, and a barrier of black dots appeared in the path of the blast and absorbed it. "Don't be ridiculous! You'll never touch my pets with that!" He raised his own hand, and a storm of ice needles blitzed through both players. Haruko managed to shield himself with his wings, but Helio took the full brunt of the attack and cried out in pain.

Haruko spun and cast another Ol Repth spell. "Are you okay, Helio-kun?" he asked, fear in his voice.

Helio grunted. "I should be fine… it just hurt, that's all."

Haruko turned his head and glared at Aquarios, flames burning in his eyes. "I think I just remembered why I hate that guy…"

Helio struggled to his feet and laid a hand on Haruko's shoulder. "Careful. Don't let your anger get the best of you."

Haruko sighed. "Right. Balance… balance…" He blinked. "Should I call Gemini, do you think?"

Helio shook his head. "It still wouldn't help. You were right… we need that third member."

A loud, high laugh split the snowy air. "Oh? Then it's a good thing I'm here! OrVak Don!" Fireballs rained from the sky onto the uninjured elemental, followed by something like a flaming meteor. The creature fell to its knees and roared, its entire left side vaporized by the attack.

Helio turned. "Captain!"

Haruko grinned. "Yuki-chan!"

Yuki stood atop the black rock, a smile making her violet eyes glow. Her grimoire lay open in one hand, and she laid her other hand on it. "And again! OrVak Don!"

As more fireballs crashed onto the stricken elemental, it screamed and collapsed into a massive pile of slush. Aquarios stared up at the blue-furred catgirl. "It's… you!"

Yuki glared down at him. "Of course it's me. You know why I'm here."

Aquarios backed away. "But…"

Yuki leapt down from the rock and landed nimbly in front of Haruko and Helio. "I'm going to stop you. You're heading down the wrong path, and I'm going to bring you back!"

Aquarios stared. "Yuki… you know I can't fight against you. How can you fight me?"

"Then, we win by default! Sweet!" Haruko piped up, grinning.

Helio whacked him over the head. "Idiot…"

Yuki giggled. "Oh, leave him be," she said. "He's only fooling around."

Haruko looked back and forth between Yuki and Aquarios. "But, seriously, what's going on? Yuki-chan, do you know him?"

Aquarios fell to his knees. "Yuki…"

Helio stared. "No wonder she came back alive…"

Haruko spun. "What?"

Helio nodded. "She went out alone to a field where Aquarios had been spotted, and fought with him. But he ran away, and she returned alive and unharmed. It was a mystery to us, but now…"

Yuki nodded. "Yeah… we know each other. That's why I have to stop him."

Aquarios rose to his feet and dismissed the surviving elemental. "Haruko… I'm sorry, but we'll have to postpone this. I can't fight with her here."

Haruko grit his teeth. "You're not running away!" He charged forward.

Yuki ran forward to stand beside him. "That's right! Don't you dare run from me again!" She clenched her fist. "Lei Zas!"

Aquarios caught her attack on his shield. "I won't fight you!" He turned.

Yuki thrust out her hand. "Wait!" She stopped running, and Haruko stopped as well. "At least let me talk to you."

Aquarios turned. "Talk… Well, all right. But alone."

Yuki nodded. "Of course. Master Haruko, Helio, could you leave us, please?"

Haruko stared. "Yuki-chan… I can't leave you alone with him!"

Aquarios knelt on one knee. "I swear, I will not hurt her."

Haruko stepped forward, his Data Blade blazing, and held the tip to his enemy's throat. "You… Very well. But if you hurt her, we'll see just how effective this blade is as a torture device, before you die." He turned. "Let's go, Helio-kun."

Helio stared. "Captain… are you sure?"

Yuki nodded. "Yes. He won't hurt me. And without Haruko to deliver the final blow, me attacking him would be pointless."

Helio bowed, and warped out. "As you order, Captain."

Haruko walked up to her, and she smiled. "Please, Guildmaster? I know I can't order you around, but…"

Haruko looked her in the eye. "You mean a lot to him, don't you? Are you… related, maybe?"

Yuki smiled. "Don't worry. He loves me. That's how I know he won't ever hurt me."

Haruko's eyes widened, and he smiled. "I see… All right, then. I'll leave you both alone." He bowed slightly, and warped out.

Aquarios walked over to Yuki. "You're still trying to fight me… why?"

Yuki stared up at him. "Because I love you, Meikan. Just like you love me."

Aquarios shook his head. "If you actually succeed, Aethos and Pyrrhia will come and kill you. You know that."

Yuki hugged him. "I'm prepared for that. It'd be worth it, to have you back again. AIDA's changing you- you know it is!"

Aquarios smiled darkly. "I walked into this with open eyes, Mamori. As long as you're safe, I'll destroy whatever I have to. Even other lives. That hasn't changed."

Yuki began to sob. "You didn't enjoy it, though… you hated having to do that. You used to cry in my arms at night, every time your actions created a new Lost One."

Aquarios gently removed her cap, and began to stroke her ears. "I'm not enjoying it. I've just sealed away my emotions; treating everything like a game is the only way I can go on. As long as it's just a game, and nobody will get permanently hurt, it's fine, right?" He scratched the base of one ear gently, causing Yuki to smile in spite of herself. "The one who's enjoying it is AIDA."

Yuki swatted playfully at his finger. "Stop that! You know it tickles."

Aquarios smiled. "See? At least one good thing came out of letting AIDA take me over; I can feel you, and you can feel me." He laughed. "I can't stop, though… they're just so furry and nice…" He began to rub them again.

Yuki closed her eyes and purred softly. "That feels so nice…" She sighed. "See? Why don't you act like this anymore? You never made real friends, but you were nice and playful with most people."

Aquarios smiled sadly, as he continued to pet her. "I know… In reality, at this point I'm letting AIDA take the wheel of my body. The infection is… progressing." He shrugged. "But you're safe. That's all that matters to me."

Yuki giggled softly. "Me and our wedding, right? People are starting to notice… things. About us, I mean."

Aquarios laughed. "I know. Next weekend, right? I'm looking forward to it a great deal, even if your work means we'll have to wait on the honeymoon."

Yuki sighed. "I want you to promise me something. If we do this, you've got to try and find a way to stop all of this. I don't want to marry AIDA; I want to marry you,"

Aquarios nodded. "Of course. But I don't want to marry you only to have AIDA take you away from me."

Yuki shook her head. "Master Haruko would protect me. Why don't you just renounce AIDA, ask him to protect me, and join the Guardians?"

Aquarios smiled bitterly. "Unfortunately, AIDA isn't something you can just renounce. But I can at least try and circumvent some of Pyrrhia's orders." He sighed. "But AIDA's control is getting greater and greater. It may be me who lies down with you at night, but most of the day belongs to AIDA now."

Yuki nodded. "And that's why I'm fighting so hard. I will save you from it, no matter what."

Aquarios rubbed her ear, a bit roughly. "That's what I love about you. You're so fiery in your spirit, so willing to help everyone you can."

Yuki blinked. "Oh… I almost forgot! My class is going to start soon!" She turned. "I'd better go…"

Aquarios gently seized her tail. "Oh, come on… stay a little longer, huh?"

Yuki turned, smiling. "You've got three minutes. Make them count, all right?" She let out a soft moan as Aquarios gently began to massage her tail. "Okay… they're counting. Definitely…"

Aquarios smiled, and drew her closer. "Don't worry. I won't make you late for your students." He gazed into her eyes. "You know… I bet you'd feel it if I kissed you here."

Yuki giggled. "Then you'd get a mouthful of fur. I doubt that would be fun for you."

Aquarios shrugged, and began to massage her tail again. A minute and a half passed before he stopped.

Yuki groaned, but smiled at him. "Thanks… that was really nice. Well, I'd better get…"

Her words were suddenly cut off as Aquarios grabbed her and kissed her. Her eyes went wide. "Meikan?" she mumbled around his lips.

Aquarios drew back and smiled. Then he spluttered. "Argh… you were right, too much fur." He grinned. "But you enjoyed it, right?"

Yuki smiled. "You bet I did." She bowed slightly, and warped out.

Aquarios stared around the snowy field. "My beloved Mamori… I won't let you die. Even if I have to kill every single person in the world, and leave us to live alone among its ruins… If that's what I must do to protect you, I'll do it."

Author's Notes: And here we start getting glimpses into the man behind Aquarios... and it's that man and his motivations that make me really love Aquarios as a character and as a villain. I also like the idea that AIDA allows for physical sensations other than pain. The mind literally makes the pain real (... yes, just like in The Matrix...), so why can't AIDA serve as a bridge for other feelings? Anyway, Aquarios' final line here... it's just a perfect summing up of who he is, and I love it.

And a side note here... that "We win by default!" line was actually first suggested by a friend of mine, and I loved it the moment he said it. It just seemed to fit so perfectly with who Sora is that I just had to include it... and credit him for coming up with it, of course. I also had the -kya- things formatted a bit differently, with asterisks, but for some reason the site won't take those, so I had to use dashes instead... my apologies.


	17. Camellia

Meanwhile, Haruko and Helio made their way to the Arena. "The second round is today," Haruko remarked. "I wonder how they're doing…"

As they exited the Chaos Gate, Haruko nearly crashed into Alkaid. She smiled. "Hey, watch it!"

Haruko grinned. "Judging from your look, you guys were victorious?"

Alkaid blanched. "Oh… you know about the team…" She glanced back as Haseo approached, and switched into whisper mode. "I'm sorry."

Haruko shook his head. "It's okay. But I do want to know why." He shook his head. "After all, you love me, right? So why not ask me if you needed help with Sirius-dono?"

Alkaid looked down. "Because… Because I love you, that's why. I didn't want to wreck your vacation. The whole point of it was to get you away from everything that was happening in 'The World', right? So I couldn't ask you. And Haseo's really strong, and he's faced this kind of thing before… so I asked him to help me."

Haruko blinked. "Who said the point was to get me away from 'The World'?"

Alkaid shook her head. "You needed to. Too much had happened, and you were going to end up a nervous wreck if things went on. That's why I came to see you."

Haruko blinked. "Why you came…?"

Alkaid blinked. "Oh no… I wasn't supposed to…" She sighed. "One of your friends asked me to help you out. I was going to come down anyway, but they did specifically ask me to keep an eye on you. So I did." She giggled. "Falling for you wasn't part of the plan. But it did end up happening."

Haruko smiled. "Huh… That was really nice of you. Thanks."

Alkaid giggled. "Any time, Shuu-chan."

Haruko winced. "Dummy! You're still calling me that?"

Alkaid nodded. "I told you at the airport, didn't I? I'm calling you that at least until I die." She groaned. "High school starts up again tomorrow, though. I'm bummed!"

Haruko shrugged. "Akiko went back to school today. Besides, at least your schedule's not all over the map like mine is."

Alkaid shrugged. "I guess. And there's the library council to keep me occupied." She laughed. "I'll be fine… it's just that I'm annoyed that I won't be able to play as much now. I got so much leveling in over the break, but now it's going to stall out…"

Haruko laughed. "Don't worry so much about it, dummy."

Alkaid rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. I'll worry about figuring out what to put in that silly exchange diary of yours, Shuu-chan."

Haruko smiled. "So, you're really going to do it?"

Alkaid nodded. "I already filled up the first page." She sighed. "Well, me and Haseo are going to go level for a while. See you later."

Haruko nodded. "All right. Later." He switched modes as Alkaid and Haseo warped out. "So, Helio-kun… what should we do now?"

Helio shook his head. "I'm still worried about Captain Yuki."

Haruko smiled. "Don't be. Yuki-chan and Aquarios are very important to each other. Even AIDA can't make him attack her. She, on the other hand, is devoted to breaking him free from it."

Helio shrugged. "I guess… Well, why not go visit Akiko-san?"

Haruko lit up. "Great idea! I bet she'll be really happy to see me!"

Helio grinned wickedly. "And you'll be happy to see her in that uniform of hers, I bet." He waved a hand as Haruko's face turned beet-red. "I'm just kidding."

Haruko laughed. "Well, she does look cute in it. Which, of course, makes her hate it. I like it, though."

Helio shrugged. "Well, I'll see you later. I think I hear Renée knocking at the door…" He grinned roguishly and warped out.

Haruko burst out laughing. "That guy… I'm honestly not surprised he managed to get Renée-chan pregnant. But he'll be a great father, so I'm not worried." He took one last look around and warped out.

About ten minutes later, Sora was seated on a low hill, overlooking the high school's track area. A group of girls were running around the track, and the coach, an energetic, black-haired beauty, was cheering them on, keeping careful time on her watch. As Sora watched, Akiko came pelting out of the school, panting as she ran to the coach and began apologizing. He smiled. "Late to gym class… what next, Akiko?"

The girls passed the coach and stopped. A few were panting, but as they'd only run one lap, most were still ready to go. Akiko joined them, blushing slightly. The coach nodded and blew her whistle. "Go for it, girls!" Sora could faintly hear her shout, and the group took off running.

Sora nodded, and concealed himself behind the tree he was leaning against. _No sense throwing off Akiko's stride. If she saw me, she might get distracted._ As he watched, the girls began to sort themselves into two groups: those seriously trying to race, and those who were jogging just for fun. Akiko hung back at the very front of the second group. Sora grinned, knowing what was coming. As the group passed the three-quarter mark, and the tree Sora was behind, Akiko's eyes glinted, and suddenly she took off, putting on a burst of speed that made her fly past every single other girl and pass the coach a full second before anyone else.

Sora smiled and slipped down the hill as the rest of the girls crossed the finish line. The coach could be faintly heard commending Akiko's skills. Then, she sat down, and invited Akiko to sit by her, and sent the girls on another lap. Sora seated himself at the base of the hill and watched them.

Meanwhile, Akiko turned to her coach. "Tamaki-sensei…" she said softly.

Coach Tamaki smiled. "Yes? What's my star student thinking about?"

Akiko blushed. "You… I mean…"

Sora grinned as the coach undid the zipper on her jacket and looked proudly down at her curving belly. "You really notice it," he muttered. He frowned. "Wish I could hear what they're saying, though."

Tamaki laughed. "Yeah, I did get bigger over the break, huh? I've been putting off my wedding for way too long. If I keep this up, my baby will be born before we tie the knot…"

Akiko blushed. "Well… I mean…"

The coach smiled. She gently took Akiko's wrist in one hand, drew up her shirt partway, and pulled Akiko's hand against the swell. "Of course you can. Don't be nervous about asking me."

Akiko's blush deepened. "Man… and I thought I was jealous of Renée-san…"

Tamaki smiled, glanced over at Sora, and lowered her voice slightly. "You don't have to be, you know. Sora-kun would do it for you in a flash if you asked him to."

Akiko shook her head. "But, I mean…" She looked up at her coach. "Tamaki-sensei, you and Hanada-san didn't plan it, right?"

Tamaki let out a laugh. "Of course we didn't. We were going to wait until we'd been married for a while first. But stuff like that doesn't matter to that boy." She sighed. "I can't believe it… only a few more months…"

Akiko nodded. "You're seven months along, right?" She pouted. "And I'm stuck at zero months… I know he might do it for me. But I'm scared he might leave me if I tell him, and then I won't ever have a chance. Whereas if I never tell him, it'll happen naturally anyway…"

Tamaki raised a finger. "If he chooses you, you mean. I'll give you some advice… don't keep secrets from your boyfriend. I know Sora-kun well, and he won't abandon you if you really love him that much." She gently embraced Akiko. "You're a good kid. And I know you'd make a great mother, just like me."

Sora smiled, and stood up. The girls began to pass him, and some stopped for a moment to wave to him. He grinned and waved back, causing waves of giggles to break out. "Easy, now… don't let little old me interrupt your class," he said calmly.

Akiko looked up and caught sight of him. The color drained from her face. "Oh… crap… he couldn't hear us, could he?"

Tamaki shook her head. "Of course not." She stood up as everyone crossed the finish line. "Good work, everyone. But Sora-kun's right. Don't get distracted just because a cute boy's wandering around the campus." She smiled and hugged Sora gently. "Even though he is pretty cute."

Sora laughed. "Hey, Tamaki-sensei. What were you and Akiko talking about?"

She giggled. "Just girl stuff. But how come you're still calling me by that stuffy old name?"

Sora shrugged. "I spent my first year of high school here, so to me, you're still my coach. Of course we're friends, but due honor first and foremost, right?"

Tamaki pouted. "I guess…" She pouted. "You should give us some warning, though. You know how the girls react to you being around."

Sora swept his arm around in a bow. "My apologies…" He eyed her belly. "So… may I, Tamaki-sensei?"

Tamaki shook her head. "No way. Not if you're going to keep calling me that."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Okay, then… may I, Mamori-san?"

Tamaki lit up. "That's better! Okay, go ahead!"

Sora laughed, and gently laid one hand on either side of her belly. "Hanada-san's going to be very happy when this little one comes out…"

Tamaki nodded. "Uh-huh! Speaking of little ones…" She grinned slyly. "What's this I hear about your friend Renée-san? Have you been showing her a 'good time'?"

Sora rolled his eyes. "Nope. Hiruma-kun would kill me if I did."

Tamaki's jaw dropped. "Hiruma-kun's the father? For real?" She beamed. "Well, that's wonderful! Tell them both I said congratulations, okay?"

Sora grinned. "Of course. She's only about a month along, but she might end up about half as pretty as you by summer's end."

Tamaki giggled. "Oh, you snake charmer, you…" She blinked. "Hey…"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, I felt it too. The little guy gave me a little kick!"

Akiko sighed. "Aw… he wouldn't kick for me."

Tamaki smiled. "It's a she, actually. Little Tsubaki… And you can try and feel her kick too, Akiko-chan. Come on and put your hand over here, near Sora-kun's…"

Akiko smiled, and slipped her hand underneath Sora's. "If you're trying to make me feel embarrassed, it won't work."

Sora rolled his eyes, and gently pressed Akiko's hand closer to Tamaki's belly. "Of course not. Why would my girlfriend be embarrassed about being so close to me?" Both teens gasped as Tsubaki gave another kick.

Akiko stared down at her hand. "Amazing…"

Sora smiled. "Yeah… You know, if we end up together, maybe you'll end up with a belly like that someday. Then you could feel our little baby kick all you wanted."

Tamaki giggled as Akiko fell silent. "That might not be so fun… sometimes she keeps me up all night doing that." She glanced back, and was surprised to see the class running another lap. "Huh…"

Sora laughed. "Looks like you've taught them well, Mamori-san."

Tamaki laughed. "Good point." She glanced at Akiko. "Now would be the perfect time to tell him," she whispered.

Akiko shook her head. "I can't…"

Sora turned. "Well, well… I don't think I've greeted you properly, have I? You ran amazingly well out there, like always, Akiko."

Akiko blushed, and looked down at herself. "Sora… I mean…" She indicated her gym uniform: a ruffled white T-shirt that practically showcased her curves and a pair of bloomers that left her long legs almost entirely exposed.

Sora raised an eyebrow. "What? It looks good on you. I like it."

Akiko grit her teeth. "Of course you do. It makes me look… _sexy_." She hissed the last word as if it were a swear.

Sora laughed. "Don't be silly. You know I don't think like that." He hugged her gently to him. "But you do look really cute in it."

Akiko smiled, and hugged him back. "Thanks… but you're the only one I ever want to hear that from."

Sora stroked her hair. "Yeah… I know." He grinned. "I'm looking forward to seeing you in your regular uniform, though."

Akiko stepped back and stared at him. "You're going to hang around all day, aren't you?" She laughed.

Sora nodded. "Sure. Alkaid's match is already over, and I've got nothing to do in either world, so I thought I'd come visit you on your first day back."

Akiko smiled, and kissed his cheek. "Okay. I'd better get back to class, though." She turned and joined the other girls as they passed again.

Sora grinned, and sat down beside Tamaki. "Go for it!" he called out.

Akiko nodded, and took off, flying ahead of the pack. Tamaki smiled. "She'll really be something someday. Don't let her slip away, eh?"

Sora rested his chin in his hands. "Yeah… but still, I don't know who to choose. Part of me still is trying to resist choosing with all its might… and the rest doesn't know whether I should choose Shizuka, Akiko, or Chika…"

Tamaki laid a hand on his back. "You'll figure it out."

Sora raised one eyebrow. "No sage advice? You're usually brimming with it."

Tamaki smiled. "I'm always ready to teach people about life, and how to live… but love isn't something people can be taught, right?"

Sora pouted. "Darn it…"

Tamaki giggled. "But I will say this… when the time is right, you'll know what to do. Love is like that." She smiled, and poked his ribs. "For now, enjoy it. Most boys don't get to have three girlfriends at once."

Sora laughed, and gazed at Akiko as she passed them yet again. "Yeah…"

Author's Notes: Hmm... quite a few things this time. First, sorry for putting up the chapter late (again...). Then... I forgot to mention this before, but Sora and Chika's names for each other ("Shuu-chan" and "dummy") are both references to Saikano. Chise constantly refers to her boyfriend Shuuji as Shuu-chan, a childhood nickname that practically everyone calls him by, and Shuuji is somewhat overly fond of using the term "aho", especially at Chise. In some parts of Japan, it's more harsh (more like "dumbass"), but in keeping with its playful nature when used by Sora, I translate it here as "dummy".

Then there's the outfit Akiko wears in this chapter... for those of you who don't know, that's an actual gym uniform in Japanese high schools. I swore at the start to never, ever "show" Akiko in a schoolgirl uniform, but this... this is okay. Besides, Akiko loves baggy shirts anyway. :D

And Tamaki... well, let's just say there's a reason I'm introducing her here. (laughs)


	18. Dungeon Crawl

Between hanging out with Akiko, unpacking somewhat back at the dorm, and spending the night cuddled up with Shizuka again, Sora didn't make it back to "The World" until early the next morning. Having carefully extricated himself from Shizuka's grip, he sat down quietly at the computer and logged on.

Haruko's first destination was the guild HQ. Twilight Grunty greeted him with an enthusiastic -kya- and informed him that the guild had been confirmed as being level 9. Haruko nodded, and quickly handed over the GP needed for the new Guild privileges. He turned to find Akiko and Kuhn standing behind him.

Akiko nodded. "Hey, Guildmaster… I'm glad I caught you. I've got class, so I have to go, but Kuhn here wanted to talk to you."

Haruko nodded. "High school, eh? Okay, see you later, Akiko-kun."

Akiko smiled, and left. Kuhn came forward. "Haruko… I've quit G.U."

Haruko's eyes widened. "But… why? You've got Magus; they need you over there."

Kuhn shook his head fiercely. "I'm not needed where I can't do any good. And as long as Yata keeps keeping all of these secrets from us, I can't do any good with G.U."

Haruko blinked. "Secrets? Isn't that how Yata-sama usually operates?"

Kuhn snorted. "That's what Pi says, but I still can't work with him. I don't know what he's thinking, but I think he might be experimenting with AIDA." His eyes were serious. "During the incident a few weeks ago, he sent everyone on wild goose chases to just talk to people in the various areas and try to get information. But the whole time, he knew that the solution lay in the Operations Folder. It was nearly an hour later that he even told us about it- and even then, Ovan had to prod him to do it."

Shock grew on Haruko's face. "I see… Well, I can understand why you quit. But why come to me?"

Kuhn clenched his fist. "Because I think that there is a place where I can do good. And that place is here." He went on one knee. "Haruko… I know I've done some stupid things before, and gotten your friends hurt. But I humbly request that you let me join."

Haruko smiled, and gently lifted him to his feet. "There's no need to kneel to me, Kuhn. You're my friend, after all, and I'd love to have you working with us." He paused. "But…"

Kuhn blinked. "But… what? Is there a problem?"

Haruko shook his head. "It's actually not my call."

Kuhn's eyes widened. "No? Then whose…?"

"Mine," came a small voice. Haruko and Kuhn looked down to see Zefie peeking out from behind Haruko's leg. "It's an unspoken rule that I have to accept a member before they're allowed into the guild."

Haruko stared. "Zefie-chan… why are you hiding?"

Zefie's eyes glinted. "I just wanted to make sure the skirt-chaser wouldn't try and put the moves on me before I came out."

Haruko laughed. "Oh, that's not fair, Zefie-chan. Kuhn's popular with the ladies, sure, but he doesn't go after little girls." He grinned wickedly. "You've got potential, and you're very cute, but you still look like you're only eight or nine years old."

Zefie levitated off of the floor, glared at Haruko, and slowly and deliberately poked his face. There was a flash of light, and suddenly his head changed to look exactly like Twilight Grunty's. Kuhn stared. "Whoa… just who is this girl?"

Zefie glared at him, and restored Haruko's face with a wave of her hand. "It's not 'this girl', it's Zefie! Don't you forget it, skirt-chaser!"

Haruko laughed. "This is Zefie-chan. She's our guild's resident vagrant AI."

Zefie floated closer to Kuhn, dropped to the ground, and circled around him, making "mm-hmm" noises every so often.

Kuhn blinked. "So… can I join, Zefie?"

Zefie finished her last circle and smiled. "Sure. Just, no putting the moves on anyone here, all right? It's annoying to watch you do that."

Kuhn grinned. "All right, but if they're attracted just by my natural charm…"

Haruko rolled his eyes. "Then they'd be attracted by mine first, and yours would be overpowered."

Kuhn laughed. "Oh yeah? Some girls prefer a man in a ponytail to a guy who looks like he's just gone Super Saiyan. And I've got plenty of girls who stick with me even if you show up and start talking with me."

Haruko gave an exaggerated shrug. "I suppose you're right." He extended his hand. "Welcome to the Twilight Guardians, Kuhn."

Kuhn took it and smiled. "Thanks."

Haruko grinned, and pulled Kuhn into a bear hug. "I'm really glad you're joining us. I haven't seen you much lately, and I kinda missed that goofy grin of yours."

Kuhn nodded, and hugged him back. "Yeah… Hopefully, Magus and I can help you out, as well."

Haruko drew back. "Yeah… with you and your Avatar on our side, the tides can really turn against AIDA and the Disciples."

Kuhn nodded. "All right… well, that settles it. I'm going to go patrol a little bit, and maybe level up some. See you around, Guildmaster!"

Haruko laughed. "You can still call me Haruko. It's not like anything's changed."

Kuhn laughed. "Okay, then… see you around, Haruko!" He turned and left.

Haruko grinned. "A fierce new ally… Aquarios, you're really done for now."

Later that day, Haruko returned from riding his Steam Bike around the fields to find Yuki waiting for him. "We've got an AIDA incursion, Haruko," she said calmly. "It's on the Theta Server; at Black Marble's Berserker."

Haruko nodded. "Then let's go!"

A voice called out to them. "Wait!" Kuhn came running up. "I'll come too. I'd like a chance to prove myself."

Haruko grinned. "And show off, right? Well, I suppose so."

Kuhn paused. "Are you really going to take her along, though? I mean… she's a normal player…"

Haruko shrugged. "Most of the Twilight Guardians are, except that Zefie-chan's given them all the power to 'see' AIDA. It wasn't all that different seven years ago for the Dot Hackers, so why not?"

Kuhn shook his head. "Even so…" He shrugged, and then smiled. "Okay, if you say so. You're the Guildmaster, after all." He looked over at Yuki. "And I'll make sure to protect your friend here with my life!"

Yuki giggled. "It's useless trying to put the moves on me, Kuhn. I'm already in love with someone. We're getting married soon, in fact."

Haruko lit up. "Well, congratulations, then!" He turned to the Chaos Gate, having formed up the party. "Okay, everyone ready, then?"

Yuki nodded. "You bet!"

Kuhn grinned. "Let's go!"

Haruko grinned as well. "Then here we go! Θ Black Marble's Berserker!" The group warped out, heading swiftly for the field.

The area turned out to be a temple-type dungeon. Haruko and Yuki nodded to each other and quickly split off to search the side corridors. Kuhn blinked, but quickly ran off after Yuki. "Hey!" he called. "Is this really a good idea?"

Yuki turned and paused for a moment. "It's fine. I don't know if Haruko's told you, but all of us are trained to fight AIDA without Avatars. I'm a captain for a reason, you know. I can take care of myself."

Kuhn nodded. "Well, even so…"

Yuki smiled. "Go ahead. I'm immune to your charms, so feel free to exercise your need to be chivalrous." She turned and began running again. "Come on. The faster we clear out this dungeon, the less chance of anybody becoming a Lost One."

Kuhn ran and quickly caught up to her. "Does that happen often?"

Yuki shook her head. "No. It's gotten a little more common since the Disciples returned, but even so, there've been maybe twenty people we didn't manage to save. In all honesty, I doubt it's been even fifteen." She sighed. "Even so… it weighs pretty hard on Haruko, every time. The rest of us have come to pretty much accept it as inevitable, and focus on saving everyone we can, but…"

Kuhn nodded. "I know what you mean. By the way, though… where's he been for the past few weeks?"

Yuki laughed. "He's still in college, you know. So when he had his winter break, we all got Helio to convince him to stay out of 'The World' over break. He's had a really rough time lately, but I think he's feeling a lot better…"

Kuhn's eyes suddenly widened, and he tackled her to the ground. "Look out!"

Yuki looked up to see an AIDA tentacle lash right over Kuhn's head. She sighed with relief. "Thanks, Kuhn. That was a close one."

Kuhn leapt to his feet and glared up at the AIDA-Anna. "Another one of these things… How dare you try and hurt her?"

"Help!" a young voice cried out, and Kuhn turned to see Sakubo backed into a corner. "I don't want that thing to get me!"

Yuki gasped. "Bo! Don't worry!" She ran to his side. "Come on; let's get you out of here."

Bo stared up at her. "You're… one of Haruko's friends, right?"

Yuki smiled. "Yep!" She turned. "Eat this, you stupid jelly-thing! OrVak Don!"

Fireballs crashed on the creature's head, and it roared and faltered in its movements. Yuki took Bo's hand and pulled him quickly towards the hall they'd come in by. "Kuhn, let's go!" she called.

Kuhn shook his head. "No. We can't leave this thing here!"

Yuki grinned. "Ever seen an Avatar before, Bo?"

Bo shook his head. "No… Is that what that thing's called?"

Yuki shook her head. "Nope! That's an AIDA. Avatars are way cooler. Watch!"

Kuhn gripped his hand to his chest. "Come on! My… Magus!"

Bo watched in awe as Magus shimmered into being, energy playing around its powerful body. "Wow…" he breathed.

Yuki smiled. "You know, it's kind of interesting… Other than people in our guild, only people with an Avatar are supposed to be able to see them. Maybe you've got a little something like that, too?"

Bo blinked. "Me? I don't have anything like that…" He shook his head. "I couldn't handle something like that. Maybe Saku could, but me?"

Kuhn smiled. "It's probably sleeping still… but if you try, I bet you'll get an Avatar just as strong as mine!" Magus raised one arm. "Now stay back, you two. I'm going to teach this thing a lesson!" He roared and charged forward, slicing at the Anna with Magus' long arms. When his opponent retaliated with a laser blast, Kuhn dodged back and out of the way, and launched a series of blasts that forced it back against the wall.

Kuhn grinned. "This is it!" Two leaves separated themselves from Magus' tail and leapt forward to explode against AIDA's barrier. It screeched, and the barrier shattered. Magus clapped its hands together and formed a cannon. "Data Drain!" Kuhn shouted, and Magus fired a blast that struck the pinned AIDA dead-center and ripped it apart.

Bo stared. "I've… got a power like that?"

Kuhn drifted gently to the ground and dispersed Magus with a "whew!" He turned and smiled. "Yeah, I think so. If you work hard and get stronger, you'll be able to wake it up. And with a power like that, you can really make a difference."

Bo blushed. "Wow… But I still think yours is really amazing!"

Kuhn laughed. "Okay… this is a dead end. Let's head back and meet up with Haruko."

Yuki nodded. "Right. We've got to move quickly if we're going to get all of the AIDA here."

Bo paused. "Wait… let me come with you."

Yuki blinked. "Well… I don't know. You'll have to ask Haruko, but as long as you stay back and just watch, I don't think there'll be a problem."

Bo shook his head. "But… Well, okay."

Kuhn sighed. "Be careful, all right? These things are pretty nasty."

The three nodded to each other, and set off at a run towards the next branch point. Haruko was waiting with a calm smile on his face. "Everything all right with you guys?"

Yuki grinned. "We're fine. We ran into an AIDA back there, but Kuhn pulled out his Avatar and kicked its heiny!"

Haruko gave them a thumbs-up. "Good work. There was nothing down my branch, but let's keep our eyes open!"

Bo came forward. "Can… can I come with you guys?" he asked softly.

Haruko blinked. "Bo-kun? Sure! You can follow along with me the next time we split up."

Bo smiled. "Thanks…" He raised his grimoire. "So, which way?"

Haruko pointed. "There're three more forks in this dungeon. That one leads to the second block, but the other two both might have AIDA hiding down them. So we've got to go in and take them out!"

Bo nodded. "Then let's go!" He followed Haruko quickly down the right-hand fork, as Yuki and Kuhn nodded and headed down the left.

Bo managed to keep pace with Haruko as they made their way quickly through the path to both of its dead ends. Haruko sighed. "Nothing here…" He turned to Bo. "So, what are you doing here, anyway?"

Bo shrugged. "I'm just trying to get stronger."

Haruko shook his head. "No… I mean, why did you want to follow me? All we're doing here is fighting AIDA…"

Bo shook his head. "I know… but I saw the whole thing. I saw that jellyfish thing, and I saw Kuhn's Avatar. And Kuhn said that that means if I get strong, I'll be able to use one of them too."

Haruko's eyes widened. "You've got an Avatar?" He paused. "That's right… you saw Haseo-kun, at that first match against Bordeaux, right?"

Bo nodded. "Right… but I'm not sure I want to have something like that."

Haruko laughed, and tousled his hair. "You won't. I bet yours will be really cool, and tough. But why follow me around?"

Bo tensed. "Well… Haruko, I always feel a little stronger around you." He smiled sadly. "I'm sorry… but for now, I feel like I can only be strong when you're around me."

Haruko tilted his head. "That's not true at all, Bo-kun. You're pretty strong, and not just because Saku-san's been leveling your character too. You just keep letting your fears and shyness get in the way."

Bo blushed. "I really wish I was like that…" He sighed. "We'd better go meet the others, huh?"

Haruko nodded. "Sure thing." He broke into his usual run, and Bo scampered to keep up. Yuki and Kuhn were waiting back at the fork. "Anything?" called Haruko.

Yuki shook her head. "Nope. Just some lame enemies, but we plowed right through them."

Haruko shrugged. "Well, Bo-kun might get some experience, if nothing else. Let's go!"

The others followed as he ran off, but suddenly he stopped short in the open space between the two blocks. Kuhn came up beside him. "Is something wrong?"

Haruko pointed. "Look." The others followed his finger, and saw two players fighting in the wide space. One of them darted and whirled about in a blur of white and gold; Yuki and Haruko instantly recognized it as Fata. The other was a tall, heavily built Tribal Grappler.

They watched for a while, and Haruko smiled. The fight wore on evenly, until eventually Fata's opponent let out a frustrated roar. Black dots trailed behind him as he charged forward and attacked.

Kuhn's eyes widened. "That's… an AIDA-PC! Haruko, we've got to do something!"

Haruko held out a hand. "Hold on. Let Fata-chan have a chance here."

Kuhn stared at him. "Are you insane? She'll die!"

Haruko shook his head. "Fata-chan had to watch her own brother die at the hands of AIDA. She deserves a chance to prove herself against it."

On the battlefield, Fata nimbly evaded her enemy's attacks. "Yuuji-niichan… I will avenge you! I'll bring you back. And I'll be strong, just like you!"

Kuhn grit his teeth and darted forwards. "You've got to stop this!"

Yuki snorted, and dropped a barrage of rocks in his path. "Now, now… Fata is the second-in-command of my unit, and one of the fiercest fighters I know. She's got a lot of promise, and I'd love to see just how far it can take her."

Haruko nodded. "I promised to let her follow in Mirage-kun's footsteps. And if it were him out there, I'd trust him to fight, and only step in to deliver the final blow. So that's what I'll do now, for her."

Fata's opponent laughed and drove a single hit past her guard, knocking her against the wall. "Just give in, girlie! Relax and become one with AIDA's power!"

Fata grit her teeth. "Never… I'm going to help Master Haruko destroy AIDA, and then my Oniichan will wake up again! Until he returns, I'll make that my purpose here!" She raised her staff. "Ol Repth!"

The AIDA-PC charged, laughing wildly. "Healing? The light won't help you here! Darkness is real power!"

Fata shook her head. "Darkness is nothing but a shadow, one cast by the strength of light." She twirled, switching smoothly to her katana, and knocked the enemy flying backwards. "And darkness vanishes wherever light touches it." She charged forward. "You claim to be more powerful with the darkness, but in reality… you are the one who's scared of the light!"

Her opponent leapt up. "Shut up, little girl!"

Fata glared at him. "That's no way to talk to a lady, you big jerk!" She twirled her katana in a trio of arcs, blocking both of his strikes and landing one of her own. "Go away! Lateral Moon!"

Combined with her earlier attacks, the Lateral Moon proved too much for the AIDA-PC, and he crumpled in a heap, hit points at zero. Fata sighed. "And now…"

Haruko strode up, smiling. "Now I'll finish up. Well done!"

Fata turned, staring. "Master Haruko…"

Haruko grinned. "Yuuji-kun would be proud." He raised his bracelet and aimed at the enemy. "Ah… Kuroshi-san. Why am I not surprised?" The bracelet glowed and spat light at Kuroshi. "Data Drain!" Haruko yelled.

With a loud scream, AIDA boiled out of Kuroshi, and his PC vanished into smoke. Fata came up to Haruko. "Guildmaster…"

Haruko turned. "What's up, Kyoko-chan?"

Fata smiled. "Oh, nothing… but thank you. If you hadn't arrived when you did, he might have called out the AIDA possessing him."

Haruko tousled her hair. "So what? You would have been able to beat that, too." He pumped his fist in front of her. "And besides, we've been here for a little while anyway. Kuhn wanted to jump right in and help, but I thought you deserved a shot at proving yourself. And lo and behold, I was right!"

Fata smiled, and hugged him. "I think I'm starting to remember why I have that crush on you."

Haruko laughed. "Still? It's been almost a month, and I haven't seen you for most of that time."

Fata giggled. "My heart doesn't forget that easily, Sora-kun."

Kuhn came up. "Hey, Fata… you okay?"

Fata nodded. "Of course. I'm strong, just like my big brother."

Yuki came up, smiling. "Yep, you certainly are!"

Fata laughed. "Well, you taught me well, Captain Yuki, so I have to thank you as well."

Yuki giggled. "Hey, it's what I do." She patted Fata on the back. "No wonder nobody was here. You've been evacuating people on your own, haven't you?" When Fata nodded, her smile widened. "Good job. But we'll take it from here, okay? Go on home and get some rest. You've earned it."

Fata nodded, and bowed to both Yuki and Haruko. "I shall see you all later, then!" She touched a nearby Platform and vanished from sight.

Kuhn grinned. "Well, she's pretty cute, huh?"

Haruko rolled his eyes. "Don't even try it, Kuhn. She's ten years old in real life."

Kuhn sighed. "Darn it… Well, what about you, then? Didn't she say she had a crush on you?"

Haruko laughed. "She's ten years old, Kuhn. She can develop a crush on whoever she wants. Back when I was her age, most of the girls had crushes on either Orlando Bloom or Johnny Depp. I just happened to be the one she fell for."

Kuhn rolled his eyes. "So what, then? You're saying…"

Haruko snorted. "I'm saying, don't put the moves on her like you usually do, because she's ten years old, and she has a crush on me right now."

Yuki giggled. "You goofball… okay, let's keep going!"

Haruko nodded. "Agreed. Bo-kun, everyone, let's go finish this place up!"

They set off. The second and final block of the dungeon turned out to be mostly straightforward. They encountered no AIDA, but several monsters popped up, and shortly before they reached the end Bo proudly told the others that he'd gained a level. He smiled as the others applauded him, and opened the door to the Beast Statue.

The four of them stared as the door opened. A group of three players cowered near the end of the hall, as a green Gatekeeper advanced on them. Kuhn darted forward. "Watch out!" he called. The others ran to catch up.

Kuhn's warning came a split second too late. A scything beam leapt out from the Gatekeeper's head and pierced one player through the heart. He gasped and fell back, fading out before he even reached the floor. Kuhn stared. "No!" he yelled.

Haruko grit his teeth. "If we'd been here a moment sooner…"

Bo lowered his head. "I'm sorry… if I wasn't so slow, and if you guys hadn't been helping me…"

Haruko shook his head, sliding to a stop between AIDA and its victims. "Don't blame yourself for this, Bo-kun. Nobody could possibly have known this was going to happen. And if it comes to that, I knew we'd be slowed down a little bit when you joined us. So that would make it my fault."

Kuhn grit his teeth. "Okay. Let's finish this!"

Haruko nodded. "I'll do it this time. Besides, none of you guys have seen my Avatar yet, right?"

Kuhn blinked. "What, Archos and Chaos? I fought them, remember?"

Haruko shook his head. "No… I've got a much greater power now. My Avatar's true form has been unlocked." He knelt. "It's time… Gemini!"

He rose into the air, grey energy shimmering around him, and Gemini crystallized around him. Kuhn stared. "Whoa… so that's the real form of Gemini?"

Yuki grinned. "That's the way! Go for it, Haruko!"

Bo stared. "It's amazing…" Unconsciously, he clenched his fist to his chest. "I want to have something like that. I want to be just as strong and brave as he is!"

Haruko smiled. "You can be, Bo-kun. Just stop letting fear get the best of you." Gemini seized a talisman and formed a spear. "Okay… Kuhn, Yuki-chan, get the other two out of here. I can't fight and defend them at the same time."

Kuhn nodded. "Come on, you two," he said calmly, as Gemini charged and stabbed the Gatekeeper repeatedly with its spear. "There's a bug in the code around here. Let's get you out of here to where it's safe."

One of them looked up at him. "What about our friend? Will he be all right?"

Kuhn shook his head. "I… don't know. But what's important right now is making sure you two are all right. Okay?"

The player who had spoken nodded. "Okay…" He glanced back at the spot where the third player had vanished. "Please be okay…" he said softly.

Up above, Gemini flew back to avoid another laser attack, and began firing talismans at the creature. It screeched and drew back, and Haruko grinned. Gemini ignited its twin blades, and launched a whirling attack that knocked AIDA into a wall and shattered its barrier. Then, it slammed its hands together and joined the talismans.

Bo stared. "Amazing…"

Haruko roared. "Take this! Data Drain!" Gemini's light flared out once again, and the Gatekeeper let out a screech as data flew out of it into Gemini's hand. With a tug, the core flew out of AIDA, and Gemini caught it and crushed it.

Kuhn gave him a thumbs-up. "Good work, Haruko."

Haruko smiled, and floated gently to the ground, dispelling Gemini as the Gatekeeper dissolved into smoke. "Thanks. Well, that's all of them."

Bo came over. "Haruko… can I really be as strong as you one day?"

Haruko smiled. "Bo-kun…" He tousled his hair. "I don't do anything special to be as strong as I am. I just work hard and don't let anything stop me. Even when it hurts, I just keep going. And I know you can do that too, if you really try hard."

Bo shook his head. "But… I'm not like that. I'm weak, and cowardly… Saku's the brave one."

Haruko shook his head. "Remember the day we met, Bo-kun? Who was it that came and helped me fight off Bordeaux and her minions? I don't think it was Saku-san."

Bo blushed. "Yeah, but you were in trouble! I couldn't just leave you after everything you did for me!"

Haruko nodded. "See? You showed just how strong you can be that day. You put aside your fear and ran to help. That's exactly what I'm saying."

Bo sighed. "Thanks…"

Kuhn nodded. "Okay… we should get going."

Haruko nodded. "Yeah, but first… Bo-kun, why don't you grab the treasure? It's what you came here for, right?"

Bo blinked. "Really? Thanks!" He darted forward and kicked open the chest. "Oh, wow! This is a Sub Dragon- a really good cloth armor!"

Haruko tilted his head. "Sub Dragon? So it doesn't have any custom abilities?"

Bo shook his head. "No… it doesn't look like it."

Haruko smiled. "Okay, then… here. This is a Phonosheet, an item that keeps your spells from being interrupted if you equip it to your armor. Stick it on that new armor."

Bo's eyes widened. "Wow…" He smiled and took it. "Thanks. You're always so nice to me, Haruko."

Haruko shrugged. "It's what I do." He yawned. "Geez… I'm kind of tired."

Yuki shook her head, smiling. "That's our fearless leader for you. Always doing way too much. Well, let's get back to town, then, and log out. The AIDA threat's done with anyway." She walked to the platform and vanished. Bo smiled, thanked Haruko one last time, and followed her.

Kuhn grinned. "So… I never realized that your guild does so much, Haruko. I mean, I saw some amazing things today."

Haruko smiled. "Like my Avatar?"

Kuhn laughed. "Yeah, like that. I honestly think Magus would have lost to that Gemini of yours, if you'd had it back then." He sighed.

Haruko grinned. "Hey, I told you, forget about that. It all worked out all right in the end." He laid a hand on Kuhn's shoulder. "I forgive you."

Kuhn smiled. "Thanks. I wish we'd been in time to save that other player, too."

Haruko shook his head. "One thing I've learned in seven months of fighting AIDA is that you simply can't save everyone. Let it weigh too hard on you, and it'll destroy you."

Kuhn looked up at him. "But isn't that exactly what you're doing?"

Haruko smiled sadly. "Yeah… but I've been hurt a lot in the past. I can handle something like this." He turned and walked to the platform.

Kuhn sighed. "Haruko… Be careful, all right? If you destroy yourself in the process of saving 'The World', then what's the point of it all?" He sighed again, and warped out, leaving the dungeon empty once more.

Author's Notes: As much as I love working with my OCs, like Fata (and Haruko of course. XD), I also really love it when I'm able to bring back favorite characters from GU and use them. And I like the idea that if Kuhn went off on his own to fight AIDA, Haruko would be the first one he'd come to. It also explains nicely what Kuhn did after he left G.U. and Yata in the game. And after all, isn't that what fanfiction is all about? There are many stories in a universe, real or fictional, and a good fanfiction is one that tells another story that's different from the one the original writer told.


	19. Two Favors

The next day, Haruko sat calmly outside of the Dol Dona Home, gazing off towards the horizon. A gentle tug on his robe made him turn around. "Hey, Bo-kun. What's up?"

Bo blushed. "Um…" He nodded firmly, as if pushing himself on. "Haruko, I need to ask you a favor. And don't tell Saku, all right?"

Haruko blinked, and got to his feet. "Sure. What do you need me to do?"

Bo tugged at his hand. "Come with me. You'll see once we get there."

Haruko smiled, and followed him through Dol Dona, to the Chaos Gate, and from there to Mac Anu. Bo immediately turned around and warped them again, this time to Δ Hidden Forbidden Dead Wood. Haruko stared around as they arrived. "Indieglut Lugh? What's going on here?"

Bo tugged him forward, until they reached the lake, and then knelt by it. "Here… This is the place." He raised his arms, and a dark shape began to lift out of the water. "Sorry to disturb you…" he said softly.

Haruko blinked. "Me…?" He shook his head, realizing that Bo had been addressing the shape. It rose quickly, and burst the surface of the water. Haruko blinked as he realized it was an enormous ice crystal.

Bo turned. "Saku would be really mad if she knew I was asking this… but I don't think it's good for him to be in there anymore. And I bet it's not very comfortable, either. So, could you help him?"

Haruko blinked, staring up at the crystal. "Help who?" He stepped forward, and a blurred shape came into his focus. "What the…?" he muttered, and came up to stand beside Bo.

When the figure resolved itself, Haruko nearly went into shock. "Endrance-san?!"

Bo nodded. "Yeah. He's been here ever since the match. Saku gets mad when people go near him, because she gets really jealous… but I… I think she's wrong to keep him here like that. So I thought…"

Haruko nodded. "I'll see what I can do." He raised his head and addressed the silent figure. "Endrance-san?" There was no response, and Haruko's face took on a tight, set quality. "Elk-san, I want to talk to you!"

"Are you… 'her'?" Endrance's voice was even more detached and breathy than usual. "Where's she gone…?"

Haruko shook his head. "No, it's me! Haruko! Remember?"

Endrance sighed. "Where… Do you know…?"

Haruko grit his teeth. "Elk-san… no, I haven't seen Mia-san anywhere. I don't know if she's even in 'The World' anymore."

Bo blinked. "Who's Mia?"

Haruko turned slightly. "Mia-san was someone very important to him. He thought that the cat that always rode on his shoulder was her, but that turned out to be AIDA in disguise." He turned back to Endrance. "Hey now… come on out of there, Elk-san. Let's go looking for her together."

Endrance moaned softly. "Just go away… Leave me here… It's my fault she's gone… and I should suffer for it…"

Haruko stared. "Your fault? What are you talking about?"

Endrance stared blankly ahead. "I lost in my match… against Haseo… and so she left me… It was my fault… for being so weak…"

Haruko shook his head. "That was never Mia-san! It was AIDA, playing on your emotions! Elk-san, snap out of it! Don't you even remember me?"

Endrance sighed. "Mia… Please, come back to me…"

Haruko clenched his fist. "Elk-san… I've lost people too. People I might never see again. But I'm not hiding, and I'm not running! If you want to see her again, then come on out of there and find her with your own strength!"

Endrance closed his eyes. "I'm weak… Leave me to suffer…"

Haruko lowered his head. "I don't want to see you suffer, Elk-san. You're my friend, and I care about you." He stared sadly upwards. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Endrance moaned again, and his crystal began to sink. "Without 'her'… nothing means anything… I'm nothing without 'her'… Mia…"

Bo yelped, and quickly raised his arms, trying to hold the crystal up. "He… he won't let me keep him up here!"

Haruko strode forward, so that his feet were actually in the water. "Elk-san… You were strong long before 'she' came to you. We fought once before, remember? And you were a really strong opponent. I'll try and find her. But in the end, it has to be you who finds Mia-san, with that strength you fought me with, and I respected. If you can't do that… then you really never will see 'her' ever again!"

Endrance paused for a moment, as if contemplating Haruko's words. Then, with a final call of "Mia…" he sank once more beneath the surface.

Haruko sighed. "Well… I did what I could. But he's not coming out. I'm sorry…"

Bo shook his head. "It's okay." He frowned. "Saku will probably be really mad… But, at least we tried, right? And maybe he'll think about what you said, and decide to come out after all."

Haruko smiled. "Yeah. That's the way to think! Now, let's get out of here. It's kinda gloomy…" He turned, and stopped short.

Aquarios stepped out of the shadows, smiling. "Well, well… I wasn't expecting to meet you here, Haruko. But now that we've met…"

Haruko glared fiercely at Aquarios, and his bracelet flared. "Yeah. Let's settle this for real, Aquarios!"

Aquarios smiled and charged forward, swinging his glaive. "Fine by me!" He blocked Haruko's Data Blade with his shield and sliced a grazing blow across his chest with the glaive.

Haruko grunted and stepped back. "Crap…"

Aquarios' laughing was cut off as a pit opened up beneath him and tentacles reached up to attack him. He leapt back out of range and glared. Bo stood just behind Haruko, his grimoire raised. "St-stay away from my friend!" he said in a trembling voice.

Haruko put out an arm and pushed Bo back. "No, Bo-kun. Stay out of this fight."

Bo stared. "But, Haruko! This guy… he's an AIDA guy, right?"

Haruko nodded. "Bingo. And that's why you've got to stay back. You've got no experience fighting a player like this, but I do." He charged forward, and his blade crashed hard against Aquarios' glaive. "Now get going, before you get hurt!"

Aquarios laughed, and pressed Haruko back with a group of ferocious slashes. "No chance, Haruko! Just like last time, this place has been sealed off! Your friends can't get in to help you, even though your AI friend has probably told them already, and your friend can't get out to safety! I'll offer you both up to the darkness, and take your Epitaphs to feed my Lady's power!"

Haruko ducked one swing and dug his blade deep into Aquarios' shield. Remembering their first battle, Aquarios detached the shield from his arm and jumped back, just as it burst into a cloud of data that obscured Haruko's eyes. Aquarios smiled, and raised one hand. "You got distracted, just for long enough!" he yelled.

Water surged up from the pool behind them and crashed down on Haruko. Before the surprised player could move, it froze, leaving him trapped in a column of ice, with only his face and right hand free. Aquarios laughed, and strode forward. "You're done!" He raised his glaive, and began to stab Haruko, over and over. With each hit, Haruko cried out in pain. Aquarios laughed. "Yes, that's it! Let me hear it! I'll teach you to try and stop me!"

Bo stared. "No… somebody, please stop him!" He clutched his head. "Haruko… Please, don't die!"

Haruko grit his teeth, forcing himself to master the pain, and tried to wiggle his arm around. The ice held him tight, though, and he couldn't do anything, even with his still-lit Data Blade. "Aquarios…" he said softly. "Please, at least let Bo-kun go. I'm your target, right?"

Aquarios chuckled softly. "Actually, it was him I was sent to sacrifice. He's got an Epitaph, you know; one of eight that Lady Morganna once possessed. If I offer it up to her, she'll become even stronger! And then, once we collect all eight, we'll become invincible!" He stabbed Haruko again, grinning madly. "Catching you into the bargain was just a bonus."

Bo squeezed his eyes shut. "Stop! Please, don't kill Haruko! I don't want him to die!"

Haruko grit his teeth and struggled. "Damn ice! Why can't I break free?"

Bo's eyes flew open. "Ice… that's it!" He raised his grimoire. "OrVak Don!"

Fireballs crashed down on the column. Aquarios yelped and leapt back out of the area. Haruko winced slightly as the fire singed him, but the column quickly melted around him. He stepped back, free but tottering on his feet.

Aquarios laughed. "How pitiful… Is this the great and powerful Haruko that's had Pyrrhia going mad trying to destroy him?" He walked carelessly forward, a gloating expression on his face.

Bo ran to Haruko's side and clung to his left arm. "Haruko… let's just go!"

Aquarios grinned. "Ah, the little sacrifice is coming along willingly, eh?" He darted forward, swinging the glaive in wide arcs.

Haruko's eyes focused, and he threw up a Data Shield so powerful it actually knocked Aquarios flying when he hit it. "Don't you dare hurt Bo-kun!" he shouted.

Aquarios leapt nimbly to his feet. "Oh, how quaint… a shield?" He walked calmly up to it, and poked it. The shield visibly cracked, and the enemy laughed. "This is pathetic! Look at this; you're so weak that I could punch right through!" With a wicked sweep of his glaive, the shield shattered into pieces. "And now, the finale!" he shouted, charging through the hole.

Bo moved in front of Haruko, his entire body tense and braced for an attack and his grimoire raised in a fairly pathetic attempt to block Aquarios. "Stop it! Don't hurt my friend!" He raised his head, and his eyes opened, suddenly blazing. "I won't let you!"

An explosion of energy hurled Aquarios back, and even Haruko was knocked reeling. Both of them stared at Bo as runes flared into life around his body. Bo looked down at himself and yelped. "What's… what's going on?"

Aquarios shook his head, disbelieving. "Impossible…"

Haruko grinned. "See, Bo-kun? I told you that you were strong enough to call it."

A tuning fork sounded loudly in the cave, and Bo rose into the air. "You won't hurt Haruko!" he called out. "I won't let you! I won't, I won't, I won't, I won't!"

Without even realizing what it meant, he shouted out, "Gorre!" Pink and blue energy surged out from him, throwing shadows on the walls. Haruko stared. _You do know who wields the 'Machinator', but it is not I,_ Ovan had said. Haruko grinned. "The Fifth Phase… Gorre, the Machinator! It's here!"

Aquarios stumbled back. "This is bad… the whole point was to kill him before he could wake it up…" He shook his head, and sent a message. _Gorre has awoken. What should I do now?_

The answer came almost immediately. _Fight it if you can, but do not risk yourself. And do not reveal Hyozanryu just yet. The child is young and frightened, and without Haruko's help, he should crumble easily._

Aquarios nodded. _Got it._ He strode forward, smiling evilly. "All right, then, little boy… let's see what you've got!"

Gorre slowly coalesced around Bo's floating form. Two long, teardrop-shaped petals sat beneath, hinged at an angle like some sort of little boat, and on top sat Gorre itself, a blue, doll-like creature with a crescent moon shape through its head and a smooth base. Overall, it looked something like a child's toy, and Aquarios laughed. "This is it?" he snickered. "Well, it looks like I was worried over nothing." He charged, howling wildly.

Bo's eyes snapped open, and an angry look appeared on his face; Haruko was struck by how strange it looked. "No! You're not going to hurt Haruko anymore!" A burst of bubbles came out of the vehicle- Haruko realized now it looked like a bellows- and struck Aquarios. Where he was struck, he was forced to a stop, and he yelped in pain. He grit his teeth and charged forward again, but Gorre shot more bubbles at him and forced him to back away.

Aquarios swore loudly and fired a barrage of ice spikes in all directions, but Haruko stepped forward, smiling coolly, and thrust forward his bracelet, creating a shield that absorbed the attack. "Is that it?" he asked, grinning. "You would do well to never underestimate an Avatar."

Bo looked down, and broke into a wide smile. "Of course! We've got to work together!" He flung his arms back and shot forward, grabbing Aquarios in his arms. "Come on, Saku! We'll beat him together!"

A pink version of Bo's doll appeared, a "mane" of pink petals surrounding her head that made her look like a lion. "It's about time! Here we go: Paradise Invite!" She charged and pummeled Aquarios several times, and then began to wind up her fist for a more powerful attack. Energy trailed from the swinging fist, and she called out, "Come on, come on, come on, come on!"

With a loud yell, she delivered a stunning uppercut that sent Aquarios flying. Bo waved. "Farewell!" he called in a cheerful voice.

A trick of Outer Space, which the Avatar had called into being along with itself, made it seem like Aquarios flew into the far distance, vanishing in a twinkle of light. However, as the space faded, both Haruko and Bo saw Aquarios flattened against the cave roof. With a groan, he fell to the ground, pursued by a shower of rocks. Haruko pumped his fist. "Nice one!" he shouted. Turning to Gorre, he noted that Saku's doll was now on top, surrounded by six pink petals like the ones around her head.

Aquarios stumbled to his feet, and glared. "You punk! Well, how about this?" He slammed his hand down on the ground, and cryptic characters ran along the ground, surging past both of his enemies and into the water in the pool.

Haruko yelled and jumped back as a pair of massive dragons arose, sinuous and made completely of the water beneath them. "Saku-san, watch out!" he called.

Saku glared at the dragons, her face livid. "Hey! You're disturbing Master En's sleep!" she shouted. Gorre raised one fist and punched, and dozens of shining spikes shot out and pierced the dragons, making them buck and fall back. "And now, take this!" she shouted. Gorre raised its arms, and the circle of petals rose up and began to whirl, crackling with energy. "Bloom of Destiny!" she shouted.

With a noise like a circular saw, the whirling circle shot forwards and sliced straight through the first dragon, severing its head. Not satisfied, Saku hmphed and made it circle around, cutting through both dragons a few times, and even slicing the falling head in two. Both dragons collapsed into water again and fell back into the pool, raising a large wave or two. The petals regenerated around Gorre as the blade faded out, and Saku whirled on the source of her annoyance. "All right… and now for you, you big jerk!"

Aquarios let out a short scream and darted for the platform. "Okay, okay, I give!" he yelled. "But next time you'll really be in for it!"

Haruko chuckled as he faded out. "Impressive…"

Saku dismissed Gorre with a snort. "Man, what a wuss. How dare a guy like that come here and disturb my Master En?" She blinked. "Come to think of it… what are you doing here, anyway? Bo!"

Haruko waved his hands frantically. "No, it wasn't like that at all!"

Bo's voice joined in. "No… I'm sorry, Saku. But… I mean, I like Endrance too. And I want him to be happy… so that's why. I didn't think he was happy down there."

Saku grit her teeth. "I won't let anybody take Master En away from me! Not even you, Bo!"

Haruko smiled. "Wait a minute, Saku-san. Nobody's trying to take Endrance-san away from you. We're just worried about him, that's all. It can't be good for him to just stay like that in that crystal forever."

Saku sighed. "Well… since it's just you, I guess it's okay. But don't come disturbing him again, got it?"

Haruko bowed. "As you wish, Saku-san. He's not listening to me anyway. Losing Mia-san again must really have hit him hard."

Saku shrugged. "Well… you know, you can call me Saku-chan if you want. I mean, you're a lot older than me, and we're pretty good friends, right?"

Haruko smiled. "Okay… well, see you later, Saku-chan. Tell Bo-kun I said goodbye, all right?"

Bo's voice entered for a moment. "It's okay. I heard you. And thanks, Haruko."

Haruko grinned. "You're the one who should be thanked. You were amazing today, Bo-kun. Gorre really is an impressive Avatar. And when you and your sister work together, you can do some really great things."

Bo laughed. "Yeah… we really were strong, weren't we? Bye, Haruko!"

Haruko laughed as well. "Bye, Bo-kun. Bye, Saku-chan." He headed for the platform and warped out.

The moment he finished materializing in Mac Anu, someone caught his hand. "There you are!" a voice called out.

Haruko blinked, and turned his head to see Alkaid standing beside him, an odd frown on her face. "Hey… what's up, Alkaid?" he said calmly.

Alkaid tensed. "Would… would you come with me somewhere?"

Haruko blinked. "Of course. Why so tense?"

Alkaid ignored his question. "Okay… we're heading to Θ Troubling Her Antitheses. Come on!"

She quickly invited Haruko into her party and led him to the field. Haruko glanced around the grassy area. _What's she up to? This area's a few levels lower than us both, and there's not anything special about it…_ He shrugged, and followed Alkaid as she dashed forward and started attacking the group of monsters at the first altar.

The field proved to be little better than child's play for them, due to the level difference Haruko noted, and within twenty minutes, they stood in front of the Beast Statue. Haruko turned. "Okay… seriously, what's up, Chika?" he said, unconsciously switching back to her real-life name. "This field's three levels lower than both of us, and neither of us got a level out of the battles here, but we ran through so fast that you can't have brought me here to look at the scenery. And that second thing is more like something Atoli would do than what you would."

Alkaid shook her head, slumping slightly. "Just open the chest. You'll see."

Haruko shrugged, and complied. "Let's see… Lit Honeysuckle? Huh… this is a pretty rare Twin Blade. Did you bring me here just to give it to me?" He broke into a wide grin. "Thanks!"

Alkaid tensed again. "That's not all it is…"

Haruko blinked. "Not all?" His eyes widened. "Wait… Lit Honeysuckle…" He grinned. "I'd almost forgotten. You know what it means, then?"

Alkaid gulped. "Yeah… So, do you know what a honeysuckle represents?"

Haruko grinned, and hugged her gently. "It means, 'devoted affection'. That's so sweet of you!" He paused. "But why the big rush, and the secrecy?"

Alkaid grit her teeth. "Could we… go somewhere else? Somewhere where nobody goes?"

Haruko shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Let's see…" He tapped the platform to take them back to town, and then activated the Chaos Gate. "This should do. Θ Hidden Forbidden Dragonbein."

With a whirl of blue, the two players warped out. They arrived in a small cave, which let out onto a high, stone walkway over emptiness. They walked forward, passing through a circular platform that might have, in the past, been an observation post- or perhaps simply a support column. Ahead of them, the walkway ran into a tower topped with a dragon statue, and then out to both sides of it, but some great force had shattered the way, leaving them at a dead end.

Haruko stood at the edge of the walkway, smiling up at the dragon and the sky beyond it. "Brionia Gwydion, the Dragonbein Range. I really love this place." He rubbed his chin. "You know… back in the early days of 'The World', there was a place we used to call the Upside-Down Dungeon. When I first came here, I thought it looked a lot like it. I even sent a screenshot of it to my friend Mimiru-chan, who'd been to that dungeon, and she agreed that it did kind of look similar."

He grinned, and turned around. "So, what did you…?"

He broke off as he saw Alkaid's face right in front of his. Before he could react, she threw her arms around him and kissed him. His eyes widened, but he gently hugged her to him. As she drew back, he smiled. "I didn't even know you could do that here. Chika, what's troubling you? You haven't called me 'Shuu-chan' even once today…"

Alkaid trembled slightly. "Something's not right… I even kissed you, but…" She looked up at him with pained eyes. "Haruko… I'm sorry…"

Haruko hugged her to him. "Come on, tell me what's bugging you."

Alkaid sighed. "I… You weren't the first one I took to that field. I took Haseo there, yesterday."

Haruko blinked. "Really?"

Alkaid nodded. "Yeah. I'd heard there was an awesome weapon there, so I took him…" She grit her teeth. "Believe me, I didn't know about the honeysuckle thing before he told me!"

Haruko laughed. "Of course I believe you."

Alkaid sighed. "But… I'm sorry… I think I'm falling for him!"

Haruko blinked. "Falling for… Haseo-kun?" He smiled. "Why do you think you have to say sorry for that?"

Alkaid stared. "But… what about you? I…" She pulled back from him. "I don't want to be in love with him. I want to be in love with you!"

Haruko's entire face seemed to say, "Oh!" He approached her. "Dummy… that's what had you worried?"

Alkaid seemed to relax slightly. "Shuu-chan… I want to love you, not him."

Haruko smiled, and hugged her. "You do. Don't worry about that. You're still wearing the bracelet, aren't you?"

Alkaid blinked. "Of course I am!"

Haruko wrapped his wings tightly around her. "And I'm still wearing mine. We made a promise, remember? What we feel for each other won't ever fade or die."

Alkaid began to cry softly. "But… I can't keep it!"

While still holding her tightly against him with his wings, Haruko reached out and wiped a tear away from her eye. "Dummy… Just because you're starting to fall for Haseo-kun doesn't mean you can't still love me, too." He grinned. "I mean, where would I be if I could only love one person at a time? Love's not like that."

Alkaid hugged him, and leaned her head against his chest. "I know. But…"

Haruko ruffled her hair. "Don't be so worried. No matter who you end up with, we'll always feel this way. Right?"

Alkaid smiled softly. "Right. But, you know…" She looked up at him and beamed. "I really do want to end up with you, Shuu-chan."

Haruko chuckled. "Well, who doesn't? I do have that effect on most girls, you know."

Alkaid rolled her eyes. "Idiot."

Haruko gave her a mock glare. "Dummy." They both laughed. "Say…" Haruko said. "Close your eyes for a second. There's something I want to show you; maybe it'll make you feel better."

Alkaid shrugged, and closed her eyes. "Don't you dare grab anything, got it?"

Haruko rolled his eyes. "Wouldn't dream of it. Besides, what would I grab?"

Alkaid let out a loud spluttering noise. "How dare you?! I've got a great figure!"

Haruko snorted. "That's why it was a joke, dummy." He sighed. "Okay, you can open them now."

Alkaid opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Haruko's face- she quickly realized that she was in his arms. She shrugged, and looked around.

When she saw what was below her, she nearly fell out of his arms in shock. The ground loomed about fifty feet away. She turned and looked back up at Haruko. "What'd you do? Some sort of hack?"

Haruko laughed. "I can't hack at all. Renée-chan can, but she's not around right now. This is just my own ability."

Alkaid grinned. "I guess those wings aren't just for show, huh?"

Haruko shook his head. "Nope. There used to be a lot of rumors about Balmung-sama being able to fly. They were all true. He and I even fought a midair battle once… in which I was soundly trounced. I couldn't even tie that guy…"

Alkaid wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed around. "This is amazing…"

Haruko grinned, and with a powerful flap of his wings he moved over the circular area. "Glad you like it."

Alkaid sighed. "Okay… let's go down now."

Haruko descended, and let Alkaid down. "As you command. Besides, I should probably be going anyway. I was going to meet Akiko after her classes ended."

Alkaid nodded. "That's fine. I'll see you tomorrow at the match."

Haruko grinned. "You know… if I hurry, I might have a chance to see her still in her uniform…"

Alkaid raised an eyebrow. "You're such a pervert, Shuu-chan."

Haruko burst out laughing. "No, I'm not. Dummy." He turned and headed to the platform.

Alkaid followed him, and pecked him quickly on the cheek. "I know. Well, I'll let things take their course, okay?"

Haruko nodded. "That's the best idea. And don't worry." In real life, Sora rubbed the bracelet on his wrist. "I know you'll always love me. So don't be afraid to end up with Haseo-kun."

Alkaid nodded. "I won't, anymore. Thanks, for everything today."

Haruko laughed. "Of course. I care about you, remember?"

Alkaid smiled. After he had warped out, she crossed her arms. "Actually, you love me. But, you still haven't figured it out. And you call me 'dummy'?" She giggled, and warped out as well.

Author's Note: And thus, the love... shape... thing grows even more complex. (Kishimoto-sensei, eat your heart out! XD) And Sora continues to be his silly, idiotic self. Not that that's anything new, mind... I know it's never been set in stone in canon that Balmung could fly with his wings, but there's certainly room for interpretation there, and plus, I really like the idea of an aerial battle between Balmung and Haruko. In addition, it's actually necessary for Haruko to be able to fly for a sequence in Segment Four to work, so I used this scene to sort of set it in stone that he can.


	20. Weekend

About half an hour later, Sora knocked on the door to Akiko's house. Ayako answered, and hid her mouth behind her hand as she giggled. "Yes?"

Sora rolled his eyes, and cleared his throat. "Hello, Ayako-san. Your daughter cordially requested my presence here this evening."

Ayako raised an eyebrow, and bowed stiffly. "I see. Did she specify where, more specifically?"

A loud laugh made them both turn, as Akiko walked up, dressed in a T-shirt and men's jeans as usual. "I did, actually." She adopted the air of a college professor. "To be absolutely precise, I requested the boy's presence in my arms, all night long."

Sora chuckled, and embraced her. "There you are. How was your first week back?"

Akiko shrugged. "The same as always. Boring. I'm honestly looking forward to college next year; at least then I can make sure the classes challenge me."

Sora laughed. "Yeah, and maybe you'll end up at Taio University, just like me. That would be neat, eh?"

Akiko smiled. "That would be pretty cool. And I'd be better placed to steal you away from Shizuka-san, too." She took his hand and led him up to her bedroom. "Come on, you… let's see what we can find to do."

Sora resisted slightly as she pulled him through the door to her room. "Help! Ayako-san, do something! You know she's going to try something again!"

Ayako burst into giggles. "Are you sure you're not confusing her with Shizuka-san, Sora-kun?"

Sora blinked. "Huh… good point." He slipped his hand out of Akiko's grip and chased her through the door.

Akiko nodded, and closed it behind her. She sighed, and locked it. "All right… I know what you were really asking back there."

Sora nodded. "They're at it again? I would have figured, between me and Mamori-san, that they'd have…"

Akiko shook her head. "They would, except that Tamaki-sensei just can't be everywhere at once. And there are plenty of places where students can do all sorts of things without being caught." She grit her teeth.

Sora laid a hand on her shoulder. "Something wrong, Akiko? You can tell me."

Akiko sighed. "Kenji… he and some of his friends caught me in the clubhouse, when I was going to get my regular clothes."

Sora nodded. "Before you started changing, though, right?"

Akiko nodded. "Yeah. I got lucky, I guess. A few seconds later, and they might have seen me with nothing on." She tensed. "Before I could do anything, they caught my arms and legs, and…"

She trailed off, and Sora's eyes widened. "What? Even Kenji wouldn't dare to… you know…"

Akiko shook her head. "No. If he'd tried to do that, I probably would have broken free and kicked him through the wall."

Sora chuckled softly. "You probably could have, too."

The corners of Akiko's mouth twitched. "If he'd hadn't fled the minute his friends let go of me, I probably would have." She leaned against him. "He… he grabbed my breasts. Really hard."

Sora's eyes widened, and he hugged Akiko gently to his chest. "I see…" He grit his teeth. "Sorry… I wish I'd been there. I could have stopped him."

Akiko nodded. "Tamaki-sensei walked in after a minute or two, and she chased them off." She let out a brief giggle. "She's scary when she's mad, giant belly and all."

Sora chuckled softly, and sat down on the bed. "But… does it still hurt?"

Akiko paused. "What do you mean?" She sat down beside him.

Sora's eyes were sad. "He had at least a minute to grab and squeeze them. It must have been pretty painful."

Akiko blinked back a tear. "Yeah… and in all honesty, I was terrified. That's why I didn't chase Kenji down and knock out all of his teeth- I was in total shock."

Sora nodded. "So, I'm asking you whether there's something I can do to make you feel better."

Akiko moved back a short way. "Well…" She blushed, and looked fixedly at Sora's feet. "You know… it does still hurt… and…"

Sora laughed. "What's this, now? This is a side of you I haven't seen before."

Akiko giggled, and put one finger to her lip. "I can be cute if I want to, Sora," she said, blushing still. "I just don't like to do it very often."

Sora grinned. "Well… are you asking me to touch your breasts?"

Akiko nodded. "Yes. I mean… it hurt when Kenji grabbed them, but… maybe if someone who loves me…" Her blush deepened. "If someone who loves me touched me, maybe I'd be able to forget about the pain." She took his hand. "Please?"

Sora rolled his eyes. "Akiko, I'm a boy, remember?" He nodded, and broke into a wide smile as Akiko pressed his hand against her. "And more to the point, I'm in love with you. If it'll make you feel better, I'll do anything. It's the same for you, right?"

Akiko giggled. 'Yeah… you've got a point there." She laid back on the bed and pulled Sora down to lay beside her. "That really does feel better."

Sora nodded. "Put it where you like. Even under the shirt, if you want."

Akiko turned to face him. _Sora… you'd really do that for me?_ She sighed. "No… I don't think I could do that. And I don't think you'd be comfortable with that, anyway."

Sora blinked. "Who cares about my comfort? It's you we're talking about here."

Akiko smiled. "I'm fine." She pressed his other hand against her. "This is enough. Even with the cloth in between, it feels wonderful." Sora turned, and she pressed her forehead against his. "Let's just stay like this for a while, okay?"

They were still like that when Ayako came up a few minutes later. She caught sight of where Sora's hands were and burst into a torrent of giggles. "My, my… getting brave, are we, Sora-kun?"

Sora laughed, and withdrew his hands with obvious reluctance. "What's up, Ayako-san?"

Ayako smiled. "Dinner's ready. But what were you two up to?"

Sora shugged. "Akiko was a little sore there, so…"

Ayako blinked. "Sore? What were you two up to?"

Akiko sighed. "It wasn't Sora… it was Kenji. He grabbed me, and he was… really rough about it."

Ayako's eyes widened. "Does someone know?"

Akiko nodded. "Tamaki-sensei's taking care of it."

Ayako sighed. "Good… I can't believe some of the things these boys have been doing. Are you sure you don't want to try a different school?"

Akiko nodded firmly. "I'm not going anywhere." She laid a hand on Sora's cheek. "Not anywhere," she repeated, firmly.

Sora sat up, and Akiko followed him. "Okay… well, let's eat, then!" he said.

Ayako smiled. "I'll set out a plate for you two." She turned and headed downstairs.

Akiko gently turned Sora's head to face hers and kissed him. "Thank you. That felt really, really wonderful."

Sora grinned, and gave her a quick squeeze, making her squeak slightly. "Of course. I liked it, too." His eyes glinted. "By the way… did you grow an inch or two? You feel a little bigger than you were the morning after our date."

Akiko blushed furiously and smacked him hard over the head. "Hey! Don't say stuff like that!" She sighed. "Geez, I really hope not. I'm enough of a walking target for the boys already."

Sora smiled. "It's okay. I was just joking anyway."

Akiko rolled her eyes and whacked him again. "Say… speaking of dates… You're going to Tamaki-sensei's wedding on Sunday, right?"

Sora blinked. "Of course, I am. She invited me weeks ago." He grinned. "She's going to look really cute, walking up the aisle with Tsubaki-chan in her belly."

Akiko laughed at the image. "Yeah… that'll be fun to watch. So… afterwards…" She gulped. "Would you… go on another date with me?"

Sora blinked. "Yeah! That would be great!" He hugged her. "I'd love to go on a date with you again, Akiko."

Akiko smiled broadly. "Good…" She giggled softly. "Now, let's get downstairs, before Mom's dinner gets cold!" She slipped out of his grip and ran down, with Sora in close pursuit.

Sora and Akiko both slept late the following morning, and Haruko quickly made his way through the Chaos Gate to Lumina Cloth, just in time to catch the beginning of the third match for the Holy Palace.

"Why didn't we ever go for this place?" Henako, sitting by his side, seemed determined to make conversation, even as the announcer's usual ranting boomed throughout the Arena.

Haruko shrugged. "Many reasons. We would have had to give up the Demon Emperor's throne to participate in the tournament, for starters, and I wasn't about to give it up so easily after all we went through to obtain it. And I always felt my place was at the Demon Palace, like my sempai."

Henako nodded. "You mean old man Antares, right?"

Haruko grinned. "Yeah. And then, there's the most simple reason." He laughed. "I don't think we could have beaten Sirius-dono and his team, not in a million years." He leaned on the rail excitedly. "Oh, it's starting!"

The match proceeded fairly quickly. Henako got more and more excited as Haseo's team made quick work of the enemy wingmen, leaving only Nala, an ancient-looking man in metal armor and a green tabard who served as leader of Moon Tree's Fourth Unit.

Haruko watched the battle carefully. "Huh… looks like there's some tension between Alkaid and Atoli, eh?"

Henako giggled. "I bet they're each secretly trying to win Haseo for their own, to have and hold and stroke that kitty-cat hair of his all day long!" She sighed dreamily. "I can understand their wishes, though. If he was my type, I'd be pursuing him to the ends of the earth."

Haruko blinked. "Um… wow. I think you just actually hit the truth dead-on with one of your wild predictions. I mean, I don't know about Atoli, but Alkaid's definitely after him. She confessed to me yesterday."

Henako giggled again. "Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later, right? The Law of Averages demands it, with big, bold letters and mountains of mathematical formulas!"

Haruko rolled his eyes. "And there she goes again." He looked down. "Well, it looks like things are wrapping up." A flash of light shone out, and Haseo flew across the arena and knocked Nala flying with a Whirlwind attack. Haruko nodded. "And that's it." He looked carefully as Haseo sheathed his twin blades. "Huh… it looks like he's using the Lit Honeysuckle that Alkaid helped him get. That's pretty cool."

Henako blinked. "Honeysuckle…" she said, suddenly serious.

Haruko laughed. "She didn't know what it meant, when she gave it to him." He produced his own pair. "She knew when she gave it to me, though."

Henako beamed. "Aw… that was really sweet of her." She nodded. "Well, should we go down and congratulate them?"

Haruko nodded. "Right. I'll go and meet them." He whirled and warped out.

A few minutes later, Haseo, Alkaid, and Atoli were all clustered around Haruko, chatting happily. "So, great work today!" Haruko said.

Atoli smiled, but Alkaid pulled a face. "Right…"

Haruko sighed. "You saw it too, huh?"

Alkaid nodded. "Of course. Nala's a captain at Moon Tree with a reputation for being a tough fighter. There's no way we could have beaten him that easily."

Atoli blinked. "But… we could have gotten lucky, right?"

Haseo shook his head. "No. And what really doesn't make sense is the fact that he helped me out before the second match, against Hiiragi's team. He gave me the exact set of armor and customization parts that I needed to counter his nastiest spells. But why?"

Haruko frowned. "It's not like anyone in Moon Tree to throw a match, or give someone an advantage over one of their own. Then again, Nala-jiisan has always been a really strange character."

Atoli shrugged. "Well… maybe he just really wanted us to win?"

Alkaid shook her head. "But why? Because of Sirius?"

Haruko rubbed his temple. "That wouldn't make sense. Moon Tree doesn't know about, or have anything to do with, AIDA."

Haseo shook his head. "Actually… we went to them for help during the server incident a few weeks ago. And Sakaki knew about it long before we told them about it." Switching to private chat, he added, "He even knew about G.U. How could he know about that?"

Haruko grit his teeth. "Who knows? We've worked with Moon Tree before, but we never directly involved them in anything to do with AIDA. But Sakaki-san knows a lot of things that he shouldn't know about."

Haseo sighed. "I don't trust the guy."

Haruko laughed bitterly. "That makes two of us." He left Whisper Mode and turned to Alkaid. "So… you guys definitely fought well out there."

Alkaid groaned. "Yeah, but I wanted to show you our skills against a real opponent!"

Haruko grinned. "Wait until the next match. I checked the standings; you guys are up against Bordeaux's crew again."

Haseo grunted. "Not them."

Haruko raised a finger. "Hey, don't underestimate them." He grinned. "I seem to recall that last time, you only won because you used Skeith on them."

Alkaid nodded. "Yeah… but this time it's just us against them. Right?"

Haseo grinned. "Right."

Atoli smiled. "Of course! The match is on Wednesday, Oniichan, so don't miss it, okay?"

Haruko laughed. "Of course not. Four days from now… I'll be there!"

Atoli nodded. "Okay!"

Haruko grinned. "All right… I'm going to go spend time with Akiko, so I'll see you all later!"

Haseo laughed. "Okay. I promise you'll have a good show at the finals!"

Alkaid pumped her fist. "You've got it! Later, Shuu-chan!"

Atoli giggled. "See you later, Oniichan!"

Haruko waved, and spinning on his heel he logged out.

Author's Notes: Ah... things are finally going to start heating up soon... and, of course, my magnum opus of being evil to my poor characters will soon commence... Keep in mind, I'd finished both Rebirth and Redemption when I started work on these first three parts, so I knew what was coming the whole time.

And, on a more chapter-related note, I do love the little scene between Sora and Akiko here, even if it is fairly on the adult side of things. I love the idea that Sora can actually touch a girl's chest without lustful thoughts in mind; he's innocent like that, and it makes for a really fun character. And Henako is wild as always... and quite fun to use, considering that technically Bandai created her (she's an NPC in the games.) I really hope I get a chance for Sora to encounter her in the real world- I've got such a scene in mind already, but I'm not sure how it'll pan out. Anyway, I know the detail's kinda sparse on this match, but it'll get much better in the remaining fight scenes... including one that I think will surprise everyone. -big grin-


	21. Union

The next day, Sora and Akiko woke early and made it to Mamori's wedding ceremony half an hour early. Mamori greeted them eagerly, looking beautiful in her ceremonial kimono. "There's my star student! And I see you brought your boyfriend."

Sora laughed. "I used to be your student once, Mamori-san. Of course I would be here."

Akiko rolled her eyes. "You're the one who invited him, Tamaki-sensei."

A low laugh made the two of them turn. Mamori's future husband, Hanada Meikan, stood behind them. "Glad you both made it," he said. "I'm really excited; aren't you?"

Mamori giggled. "I know I am! We'll finally be married, after nearly a year of fooling around!" She moved forward, but her swelling belly bumped against Sora, and she stepped back. "Sorry!"

Sora smiled. "It's fine. And besides…" He patted her belly gently. "It's Tsubaki-chan here who should be apologizing."

Mamori pouted and looked down at herself. "Good point. Tsubaki, stop bumping into people. It's rude!" She sighed. "And you're going to make your mommy look fat at the altar, too…"

Sora rolled his eyes. "No, she's going to make you look beautiful at the altar."

Meikan chuckled. "Trying to steal my wife away from me, Sora-san?"

Mamori grinned wickedly at him. "We're not married just yet, Meikan. Watch yourself, or this guy might just charm me right into his arms…" She hugged Sora from behind, her hazel eyes glittering.

Meikan grit his teeth. "Watch yourself…" he said softly.

Sora blinked. "We're only playing around, Hanada-san."

Akiko grinned. "Yeah, you shouldn't be so uptight. Besides…" She flexed her arm. "I'd tear him limb from limb if he started fooling around with Tamaki-sensei."

Mamori giggled, and went to embrace Meikan. "Aw, my sweet Meikan… I'm hurt. You really thought I'd go and fool around with another man?" She glanced sideways at Sora. "Even if he is a good-looking, virile little guy…"

Meikan tensed. "No. But even so, I'm always on the lookout." He forced a smile. "I might just die if someone stole my Mamori away from me."

Mamori giggled. "Aw, you big sweety…" She waved a hand at Sora and Akiko. "You two better find some seats, okay?"

Sora grinned. "All right. Come on, Akiko. Let's leave these two alone together."

Meikan chuckled, and stroked Mamori's belly. "Technically, for the next two months we'll never be completely alone."

When Sora and Akiko had gone, Mamori's eyes suddenly turned icy. "I thought you said you were going to keep 'it' in check."

Meikan sighed. "I know. I want to, but…"

Mamori grabbed his wrist. "And what was that little display two days ago? Zefie showed me the whole thing."

Meikan turned away. "You… saw it all, huh? I didn't want you to."

Mamori grit her teeth. "Meikan, if I'm going to be your wife, you have to promise me! Promise me you'll stop letting 'it' take you over so easily!"

Meikan sighed. "I know, I know… but all the same, I won't let you or Tsubaki be hurt. I'll promise that as well."

Mamori leaned her head against his chest. "Meikan… why did you ever agree to their deal?"

Meikan lifted her up and gazed into her eyes. "The same reason I'm here now, and the same reason our little Tsubaki was conceived. Because I love you, Tamaki Mamori."

Mamori smiled. "And I love you, Hanada Meikan. Now, let's do this."

Soon enough, the outdoor pavilion began to fill up with people. Akiko sat next to Sora, on the aisle, nervously waiting for the ceremony to begin. "Sora…" she said softly.

Sora smiled. "What's up?"

Akiko twitched, and shook her head. "N-never mind. Sorry…"

Sora's smile widened. "Oh? I wonder what you'd look like in a kimono like Mamori-san's… up on that altar…" He chuckled. "The question is, who are you imagining beside you?"

Akiko gulped. "I… I wasn't…"

Sora chuckled again. "No? I'm surprised…" He sighed. "I can definitely imagine myself up there… but I still don't know who's across from me."

Akiko sighed. "I… do know who's across from me." She gently gripped his hand.

Sora nodded, smiling happily. "I thought so." He held her hand tightly, as the ceremony began.

The ceremony proceeded fairly quickly. The pair had opted for a fairly Western-style marriage, but being both full-blooded Japanese, they had incorporated several Japanese customs (the kimonos, for example). Soon, Meikan was at the altar, and the priest closed his book, both looking expectantly towards the end of the aisle.

A soft trilling of flutes broke out, and Mamori moved into view. She smiled radiantly as she came up the aisle, waddling slightly from the weight of her belly. Everyone broke out into cheers at the sight of her. Her kimono was pale blue, like a robin's egg, and speckled in a few places. Despite Tsubaki's presence, she'd also tied a long obi around her stomach, which trailed to the ground behind her. It was a soft green color, and patterned with flower petals. As she reached Sora and Akiko's row, they saw that she'd tucked a pair of daisies into the cord of the obi. Sora, who knew a fair amount about flower lore, chuckled at the irony of it.

Mamori glanced down at him and smiled. Sora grinned. "I told you she'd make you look beautiful."

Mamori giggled and moved on, laying one hand on her belly. Akiko sighed. "I still think she should have waited…" she whispered.

Sora smiled. "Oh, what's the harm? They were in love, after all." He glanced pointedly at her. "And you've asked me for the very same thing, after all."

Akiko blushed. "Yeah… I guess so… but I mean, look how she's ended up…"

Sora rolled his eyes. "What, happy? She's about to be married to the man she loves, and in a few months she's going to bear his child."

Akiko shook her head. "Yeah… I guess…" _He wouldn't care… but… should I marry him first? I wonder how I'd look up there, marrying Sora at six or seven months?_

Mamori had now reached the altar, and smiled at Meikan. "Ready?" she said softly, as the priest began to recite the familiar phrases.

Meikan smiled back. The priest finished, and he said, "I am, and I do."

The priest nodded. "And you, Tamaki Mamori-san?"

Mamori giggled. "Of course," she said softly. "I do."

The priest broke into a wide smile, and nodded to both of them. Meikan slipped a slim golden band onto Mamori's finger, and then threw his arms around her and kissed her passionately. Cheers and crying broke out in equal measure as the two embraced.

Even the usually stoic Akiko began to weep, and turned to cling to Sora. He smiled and hugged her against him. "This is your first time seeing a wedding, huh?"

Akiko nodded. "Uh-huh," she said, muffled by his chest. "What about you?"

Sora laughed. "Me, too." A single tear ran down his face, as he beamed at the newlyweds. "They're so beautiful together, aren't they?"

Akiko gave a muffled giggle. "Yeah." She sighed. "Make sure to invite me, when you go up there, okay?"

Sora laughed again and ruffled her hair. "Hey, play your cards right, and you'll be the one I'll wait to see coming down the aisle. You know that." He stood, lifting Akiko gently with him. "Let's go congratulate them, and then… I promised you a date, didn't I?"

Akiko nodded. "Of course… let's go!"

After a brief talk with Mamori and Meikan, in which Sora and Meikan were both hugged several times by a squealing Mamori, Akiko ran home and changed into the same _furisode_ she'd worn on their first date. Sora smiled as she came out. "Is that the only girly thing you own?"

Akiko grinned at him. "The only girly thing I have that's nice enough for a date. After all, I usually just wear jeans or sweats, so why would I need something like this?" She grabbed his hand. "Come on, there's a new fast food place that opened up that I wanted to try."

Sora laughed as he followed her. "Fast food? A McDonalds isn't the most romantic place to eat, you know!"

Akiko rolled her eyes. "I'll make it up to you at dinner; come on!"

After a surprisingly good meal at Panda Express ("A Chinese food place in the middle of Japan? What next?" Sora had chortled), a trip to the local arcade, where Sora amazed everyone with his performance at the latest incarnation of Dance Dance Revolution (and Akiko nearly broke a leg tripping over her kimono), and an afternoon movie (a specially restored version of "I Am Legend", one of Akiko's favorite action movies), the two headed to Haruka, a restaurant whose name meant "far distance" and which served a variety of exotic European and African dishes.

Over a plate of tamales, which they had both ordered as an appetizer, Sora and Akiko finally got down to discussing their relative vacations. Akiko had heard some of the details from Chika, although she kept from letting Sora know that, but she was still quite amazed at some of the exploits, which made her own vacation look tame in comparison. "All I did was hang around here, with some of my friends from school and the dojo."

Sora smiled. "Maybe I should hang around next winter, then. Things seem to be a lot more active when I'm around."

Akiko laughed. "Of course they are. You're usually the cause of all the activity!"

Sora grinned. "True… Say, I learned something interesting the other day. Chika accidentally let it slip that someone had asked her to go to Hawaii and keep an eye on me."

Akiko blinked. "R-really?" _Oh, no… I told her not to tell him!_

Sora nodded. "Yep. She didn't tell me who, but I've got my ideas."

Akiko forced herself to remain calm. "Who do you think it was?"

Sora smiled. "Well, I thought it was Shizuka at first. Chika did some things when we were there that were just like her. But then I realized something."

Akiko shrugged. "What'd you realize?"

Sora's eyes glinted. "Shizuka barely knew Chika at all! I mean, I knew her mostly through 'The World', but Shizuka doesn't play- so how would she know Chika well enough to ask her a favor like that?"

Akiko gulped. "So…?"

Sora grinned. "Only one person knew her well enough to ask her, and knew Shizuka well enough to suggest things to Chika." He grinned. "It could only have been… Hiruma-kun!"

Akiko's eyes went wide. _That idiot…_ "Hiruma-san, huh?" she said aloud. "That seems to fit." She blinked. "But… he didn't know her that well either."

Sora grinned, and pointed dramatically with his right arm, in a passable imitation of Phoenix Wright. "Objection!" he said softly, careful not to annoy the other patrons. "Hiruma-kun and Chika both played 'The World', and they knew each other quite well there!" He grinned. "Well, Madame Prosecutor?"

Akiko rolled her eyes. "I should never have given you that game for Christmas. How'd an idiot like you get through it, anyway?"

Sora rubbed his neck. "Well… Hiruma-kun helped…" he said sheepishly.

Akiko chuckled, as the waiter came by and set a plate of saltimbocca in front of Sora and an enchilada in front of her. "I should have guessed."

About fifteen minutes later, they had finished eating and split the bill, despite Sora's protests, and walked down a long row of stores that had been set up near Haruka. Sora smiled. "So, where to now? Another rest in the park?"

Akiko rolled her eyes. "Too predictable. Another movie? I think they're playing the first Star Wars movie in an hour."

Sora grinned. "A fine series, indeed. Let's go, then- but I pay this time!"

Akiko giggled. "Oh, very well. If you insist." She stopped suddenly, and stared into a shop window. "Hang on a second…" She turned to him. "There's something in here I've been thinking about getting. Wait here for a bit, okay?"

Sora smiled, and watched as Akiko ran into the store. About five minutes later, she emerged, bearing a parcel wrapped in white cloth. She pressed it into Sora's hand. "Here," she said simply.

Sora blinked. "You were getting something for me?" He chuckled, and began to unwrap it. "No wonder you were okay with me paying for the movie."

Akiko rolled her eyes. Soon, the present lay open, and Sora picked it up. A slim black cord ran in a loop long enough to fit his head into, and at the end hung a small sliver piece shaped like a bird's talons, holding a perfectly spherical stone.

Sora smiled, and hung it around his neck, and then picked up the piece at the end and looked more closely at it. "What do you think?" His eyes twinkled impishly. "Is pink really my color?"

Akiko rolled her eyes. "That's a rose quartz. And feel free to put it under your shirt. But please wear it, okay?"

Sora grinned, and slipped the necklace inside his collar. "Of course I'll wear it. I know what that stone symbolizes, after all."

Akiko nodded. "Okay, let's go to the movies! Again!" She smiled and began to walk off.

Sora caught her by the arm. "Hang on a sec, Akiko." His eyes twinkled at her. "I'm kinda curious. You were agonizing over something else for quite a while before you got this." He chuckled. "So, what were you thinking about? Something even girlier than a rose quartz?"

Akiko gulped. "Um… nothing important…" She sighed. "Please don't ask me."

Sora blinked. "Hey, come on. I'm your boyfriend, right? You can tell me." He grinned sheepishly. "Please? I'm really curious…"

Akiko blushed. "It… it was…" Her eyes wavered. "I was looking at a ring. I was… thinking of proposing to you."

Silence fell on them for a moment. Akiko looked away. "I know, it was stupid…"

Sora smiled and hugged her. "Why would you say that? Even if I can't answer you yet, if you want to marry me, you should say so!"

Akiko tensed. "But…"

Sora tightened his hold on her. "What made you stop? You love me, don't you?"

Akiko looked up at him. "Of course I love you! But… I mean, this is only our second date… It's too early, isn't it?"

A soft chuckle sounded. "Too early?" a soft voice asked.

Akiko turned, and Sora smiled. "Hiruma-kun! And Renée-chan, too!"

Hiruma chuckled. "If it's too early for you two, where does that leave us?"

Sora's eyes widened. "You didn't!"

Renée smiled, and raised her right hand to show the ring there. "Yes, he did."

Akiko's breath caught in her throat. "May… may I see it?"

Renée smiled, and held out her hand to show the two of them. A slim band of silver ran around her finger, set with a beautiful emerald. Sora whistled. "That's nice… and it matches your eyes perfectly, Renée-chan."

Renée smiled. "Thank you, Sora-sama. So, what was the ring you wanted to give him like, Akiko-san?"

Akiko blushed furiously. "Well… you know… it was just a regular ring. Nothing fancy, you know?"

Hiruma smiled. "Right… but what was it made of? Were there any stones in it, or was it just a plain band?"

Akiko crossed her arms. "Forget about it! Geez!"

Sora shrugged. "Okay, then… So, when are you two going to do it?"

Hiruma smiled. "We were thinking in a month or so. If we time it right, it'll be held exactly two months after we first slept together."

Renée smiled, and laid one hand on her stomach. "And exactly two months after this little one was created."

Sora blinked. "You can be that exact?"

Hiruma grinned. "Well, yeah… After we essentially locked ourselves in with each other for that glorious night and a day, we stayed apart for about a week before we did it again. Conception can be pinned down to within a few days, and that was the only day in that range that we were together… so that must have been the night."

Sora blinked. "You spent a whole week apart?"

Hiruma chuckled sheepishly. "We spent the whole night and most of the next day together. We both needed a rest."

Renée giggled. "Yes… Hiruma-kun was a bit reluctant at first, but he seemed to warm up to the idea quite nicely."

Hiruma blushed, and Renée threw her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. He sighed. "Yeah… I guess I let myself get caught up in the fun. It was the first time for both of us, after all." He smiled. "Renée knew what I was feeling, and she pointed out a whole list of things that could go wrong, only to point out that we shouldn't let things like that come between our love."

Renée suddenly burst out laughing. "Yes… and wasn't one of them that I might become pregnant?"

Hiruma spluttered, and let out a laugh of his own. "Oh yeah… I remember that! And then I asked whether that would really be so bad…"

Renée giggled. "Well, soon we shall find out, no?"

Hiruma stopped laughing with a sigh, and embraced her from behind, laying his hands on her stomach. "I still can't believe it… One more month and we'll be married, and in eight months I'll be a father…"

Renée smiled. "Yes, you will."

Sora grinned. "So…" He turned to Akiko and whispered to her softly. Akiko nodded. "Of course!" Sora turned back to them. "Akiko and I were going to go see a movie. Would you two like to come along?"

Hiruma chuckled. "A double date, huh? What do you think, Renée?"

Renée smiled. "Of course! That would be wonderful!" She giggled. "Well, as long as they don't make me buy an extra ticket, that is."

The four of them burst out laughing, and moved quickly towards the theater. After a brief argument with their dates, the two boys handed over the money for four tickets, an enormous bucket of popcorn, candies, and two sodas. Soon, they had found four seats together in the third row and settled down to watch George Lucas' very first movie masterpiece.

By the time it was over, it was nearly nine-thirty at night, so the two couples said good night to each other and split up. Ayako welcomed Sora and Akiko back with a wide smile, and with a yawn the two went up to Akiko's room together. After changing into boxers (plus a T-shirt for Akiko), Sora let Akiko spend a few minutes admiring and tracing his tattoo, eliciting loud laughs from him as her hands tickled his sensitive back, and then Akiko laid down and pillowed Sora's head on her chest.

Sora smiled up at her. "You know, this really does feel nice."

Akiko giggled. "That's why I let you do it. And I like it, too." She laid her hands gently on his shoulders. "I love you, Sora."

Sora laughed, laying his hands on hers. "And I love you, Akiko." The two teens closed their eyes, and nearly instantly were asleep.

Author's Notes: Eh... not much to say about this one, except... yeah, I do indeed love Phoenix Wright. And the rose quartz... nah. It's no fun if every single secret gets revealed. I'll let you guys try and figure out if there's some sort of reason for that. :D


	22. Darkness

The alarm woke both of them the next day at seven o'clock, and after a quick breakfast, they both thanked Ayako and headed for school. Sora nodded to her as they reached the front doors of her school. "Don't let any of those boys mess with you again, okay?" he said softly. "And if they do…"

Akiko clenched her fist. "Oh, they won't. I'll make sure of that myself." She smiled. "Besides, Tamaki-sensei will protect me. So don't worry."

Sora grinned. "Okay. Ja, ne!" He kissed her briefly and took off towards Taio University.

Akiko smiled. "Idiot…" She turned and entered the school.

Sora's first day of classes seemed to drag on. His usual enthusiasm had faded, and he spent a lot of time staring out of the window, thinking about everything that had happened over the past few months. Time slowed, until it seemed even the clouds were moving faster. Eventually, the classes ended just in time for dinner, and after a light meal in the dorm cafeteria, Sora headed to the anime club for a while. When he returned to his room, Shizuka was already there, lying under the sheets and smiling. "Welcome back, So-chan," she said. "Did you have a nice time with Akiko-chan?"

Sora grinned. "Of course." He pulled the necklace from under his clothes and showed it to her. "I even got a nice present out of it, see?"

Shizuka giggled. "It's pink!"

Sora rolled his eyes. "A rose quartz. It's supposed to represent both 'love' and 'healing'. Akiko got it for me."

Shizuka smiled. "So, now you've got something from each of us, huh?" She giggled. "But I think mine is the most practical, don't you?"

Sora rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised you'd say that? You're always so competitive…"

Shizuka giggled again. "Well, of course! Someday, I'm going to have you all to myself. And it'll be so wonderful…" She sighed happily.

Sora nodded. "Maybe you will. But you never know… Akiko or Chika might just win me away from you…" He grinned. "Okay… I'm going to change. No peeking, okay?"

Shizuka covered her right eye. "Okay, then…" She pouted.

Sora looked sadly at her open left eye. "Right…" He picked up his boxers from the floor and swiftly changed into them. He turned back to see Shizuka shaking. "Shizuka?"

Shizuka gave up and burst out laughing. "Wow, So-chan… I never thought you'd look so good like that…"

Sora blinked. "You… peeked?"

Shizuka shook her head. "Not with this eye…" She sat up, revealing her usual pink sleep outfit.

Sora scratched his head. "Then…" His eyes widened. "No way…"

Shizuka giggled. "You're getting there…"

A light dawned in Sora's face. "Your eye… it's better?"

Shizuka nodded. "Yep! I woke up yesterday, and I could see out of it again! Isn't it wonderful?"

Sora threw his arms around her. "Shizuka… I'm so happy!" he cried, and then kissed her cheek. "You're really not blind anymore?"

Shizuka kissed him back. "Nope!" She closed her right eye. "I can see you just fine right now!"

Sora grinned, and then suddenly blinked. "But… wait… that means…" His face fell. "You were watching, the whole time…"

Shizuka giggled. "Well, you didn't let me see you before, when I made you look at me… so I had to figure out something."

Sora blushed furiously. "Okay… Shizuka, I'm definitely happy your eye is better, but… I mean…" He twitched. "You saw me naked…"

Shizuka giggled. "So? I let you look at me naked, didn't I?"

Sora sighed. "I guess…" he muttered. "But couldn't you ask first, or something?"

Shizuka rolled her eyes. "You would have said no." She wrapped her arms around him. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'll ask first the next time, okay?"

Sora lay down, holding her against him. "So… when I saw you, I told you about how you looked."

Shizuka giggled. "Oh, you look amazing." She turned and lay down on top of him. "How I manage to keep my hands off of you I'll never know."

Sora smiled. "You manage it because you love me, and I'm not ready yet. Don't worry. I'll manage it one day."

Shizuka giggled. "Remember when we first met, So-chan?"

Sora laughed. "Oh, yeah… wasn't it my first day here?"

Shizuka nodded. "Yeah. I'd just broken up with my boyfriend a few days before, so I was feeling kind of down…"

_Sora pushed open the front gate of the school and looked around. "So, this is Taio University…" he said to himself._

_A voice broke on his ears. "Come on… get it together. It's orientation day, and here you are sitting in a funk. The whole squad's depending on you!"_

_He turned, to see a young girl sitting slumped against the wall. Her hair was shiny and black, and flowed down to her shoulders, where it curled up in a flip style that reminded him of Mimiru. He approached, and she looked up at him. She was frowning, and her eyes were dull, but even so she was still very pretty._

_She blinked slowly. "Oh… are you a freshman? I haven't seen you around before…"_

_Sora nodded. "You wouldn't have. I spent a year at a high school nearby, but other than that this is my first year of schooling in Japan." He smiled. "I'm Kapalo Sora."_

_Shizuka sighed. "Shinsetsu Shizuka. Well… on behalf of the Spirit Squad, welcome to Taio University." She sighed again._

_Sora blinked. "Hey, now… what's got a pretty young girl like you so upset, Shizuka-san?"_

_Shizuka shook her head. "It's nothing… I'll get over it."_

_Sora knelt beside her and laid one hand on her arm. "Come on… you can tell me. I hate seeing someone upset like that." He grinned. "And besides… if your face is as pretty as it is when you're feeling depressed, I'd love to see it when you're happy."_

_Shizuka looked up at him. "You know, you're pretty forward."_

_Sora grinned sheepishly. "Sorry… I'm just being friendly, but I know I have a tendency to go overboard with it."_

_The corner of her mouth twitched. "It's okay. That innocent way you have about you is actually kind of nice." She sighed, and drew his arm around her shoulders. "It's annoying that it had to happen now… I broke up with my boyfriend a few days ago."_

_Sora's face fell. "Oh… I'm sorry."_

_Shizuka sighed. "It's okay. Actually… I'm pretty well known around here as being kind of a flirt. I have been since I was in high school. So I go through boyfriends pretty quickly, but it always leaves me blue for a few days afterwards." She sighed. "Haku-kun actually lasted a good deal longer than most of them. I thought we were finally starting to get somewhere… but then we broke up."_

_Sora patted her shoulder gently. "That's sad…"_

_Shizuka nodded. "Yeah… But, I mean, I'm the head of the Spirit Squad here. Amy-chan, my friend and the vice-captain, could probably handle things, but I'm supposed to do it!"_

_Sora smiled. "Would it make you feel better if I let you flirt with me?"_

_Shizuka lit up slightly. "Maybe… Why would you let me do that?"_

_Sora shrugged. "Well, I mean, I'm single. In fact, I've never had a real girlfriend."_

_Shizuka blinked. "Really? A cute guy like you?"_

_Sora raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm cute?"_

_Shizuka let out a brief giggle. "Yeah. Look at you! You've got that nice tan, and a great figure to go with it, your hair's windswept without being messy, and those eyes…" She stopped, her eyes widening. "Wow… look at them!"_

_Sora nodded. "You like them? They're my mom's."_

_Shizuka smiled. "Your dad must have been pretty lucky to meet her, then. They're so beautiful… I thought grey eyes were supposed to be all either sad or cold and stony, but yours just seem to move and shimmer…"_

_Sora grinned. "Well, thanks! Yours are pretty, too."_

_Shizuka nodded. "And then there's your face… I'm trying to figure it out. It looks almost Asian, but not quite…"_

_Sora nodded. "That makes sense. I'm half-Japanese, you see."_

_Shizuka's eyes widened. "Oh… really? What's the other half?"_

_Sora grinned. "Hawaiian Islander."_

_Shizuka giggled. "Wow…!"_

_Sora nodded. " So… about my offer…"_

_Shizuka smiled. "A cute boy, asking me to flirt with him? How could I possibly refuse?" She giggled. "You know what… I think this must be a dream." She took his free hand in her own._

_Sora shook his head, but made no attempt to resist her. "It's no dream. Want me to prove it somehow?"_

_Shizuka nodded. "Yeah. But no need to trouble yourself; this'll do." She pulled his hand down and stroked it across her bare midriff. She smiled at the feeling. "Okay… definitely not a dream."_

_Sora grinned. "Absolutely not. And here's the final proof- as if you needed more." He dug his fingers into her stomach and tickled her for a few seconds._

_Shizuka let out a squeal of laughter. "You goofball! Cut that out!"_

_Sora obligingly stopped, and blushed slightly. "You've got really soft skin, you know? It's nice…"_

_Shizuka giggled. "I think we're going to like each other a lot." She paused. "What was your name again? Sora?" She grinned and said, as if announcing it, "Then, I accept your offer, and from now on I'm going to call you 'So-chan'." She bent forward and pecked his cheek. "Now, I've got to go handle some orientation things… but I'll find you later, and then the fun will really start!" She took off at a run, leaving a blushing Sora sitting bemused in her wake._

Shizuka smiled. "Come to think of it… you've lasted a lot longer than Haku-kun did, haven't you?" She sighed. "I wonder what happened to him…"

Sora smiled. "Who knows?" He chuckled. "That wasn't the last time I had to help you out of a blue period, either."

Shizuka nodded. "Yeah… A few months later, I broke up with Vladimir-kun, and I ended up…" She blinked. "Yeah, it was! That was the first time your head was introduced to my lovely little chest."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Little? And that was your idea, remember?"

Shizuka snickered. "Of course it was my idea. All the best things we've done when I flirted with you were my ideas. The sleeping bag, this cute outfit I'm wearing right now… everything except the tickling was my idea."

Sora smiled. "True… luckily, I remain too innocent to come up with ideas like those."

Shizuka smiled, and laid her head next to his. "But, you know… as much of a flirt as I am, I've managed to stay a virgin. I wonder if that'll change any time soon?"

Sora smiled. "It just might, Shizuka. But not tonight, okay?" He tickled her stomach for a second. "I'm happy just to be lying here with you in my arms."

Shizuka sighed happily. "Okay, then. Me, too." She kissed his cheek, and closed her eyes. "Good night, So-chan."

--

Haruko entered 'The World', and immediately a pair of hands covered his eyes. "Hey, Haruko! Where were you yesterday?"

Haruko turned, grinning. "Hey, Alkaid. Classes started yesterday, and they just kept going. I was exhausted…"

Alkaid raised an eyebrow. "Not too exhausted to be with one of the others, I bet."

Haruko chuckled. "What, jealous of Shizuka?"

Alkaid snorted. "Of course I am," she groaned. "She gets to be with you every day, but I'm so far away that I can't even touch you."

Haruko smiled sadly. "Sorry… We'll meet in the other world again someday."

Alkaid nodded. "Yeah… anyway, someone e-mailed me and said they had information on Sirius. I'm going to go meet them at Θ Hidden Forbidden Battlefield in a few minutes."

Haruko blinked. "Huh… information on Sirius-dono? Who could have that?" He shrugged. "Well, Akiko-kun asked me to meet him as soon as I got here, but I'll catch up, okay?"

Alkaid nodded. "Yeah. You've got some time."

Haruko patted her shoulder, and then warped to the Home area. Akiko was waiting there for him, along with a young girl in a long pink dress. Haruko blinked. "Hey, Akiko-kun. Who's this?"

Akiko nodded. "She's a new recruit. I wanted her to meet you."

Haruko grinned. "Zefie-chan already said it's okay, then?" He extended his hand. "I'm Haruko, the leader of the guild. What's your name?"

The girl looked up at him with sky-blue eyes. "I'm Natsuko. It's nice to finally meet you, Haruko."

Haruko blinked. "Huh… complete set. Cool!"

Natsuko bowed. "I'm a Lord Partisan. I hope to be able to help you all out." She drew out her weapon, and displayed it. "I've worked hard to make my character strong. A friend of mine told me about what you do a while back, and I want to help."

Haruko smiled, running one finger along the shaft of her axe. "It's a nice weapon. You don't see many Partisans using an axe nowadays- they all seem to use lances. And I can tell your character's high-level." He grinned. "I've got no problems with you being here. But I do have a question."

Natsuko blinked. "What's that, Guildmaster?" she asked.

Haruko chuckled. "What are you doing here, Shizuka?"

Natsuko yelped frantically. "Wh-what? Who's Shizuka?"

Haruko rolled his eyes. "Shizuka…" he said sternly.

Natsuko sighed. "How'd you know it was me?" she groaned.

Haruko laughed. "Did you expect me not to recognize my own girlfriend's voice? And your eyes are exactly the same as your real ones."

Natsuko gave him a sheepish grin. "Please don't send me away… I want to help you, and protect you, So-chan."

Haruko smiled. "I'm not sending you anywhere. Just be careful, all right?" He paused. "When did you get so high-leveled, though? I've never even seen you play before."

She sighed. "When I was in the hospital… I had plenty of time to work on it. After all, there was nothing else to do."

Haruko's eyes widened. "So, you devoted all your time to something you were doing for me?" He hugged her. "Thank you, Shizuka."

Natsuko smiled. "I had nothing else to do, remember? And I had to do something to keep from getting lonely."

Haruko tensed. "Shizuka… I mean, Natsuko. I'll let you join, but I want you to promise something. I'm the leader here, and if I give an order, I need you to do it. Understand? Even if it means I'll get hurt, don't you dare throw yourself in the way."

Natsuko stared. "But… So-chan…"

Haruko hugged her tightly to him. "I almost lost you once. Don't let them have another chance to hurt you."

Natsuko hugged him. "I won't let you get hurt. But I promise, I'll follow your orders." She smiled. "So… what do you think of my little creation?"

Haruko stepped back, running his eyes up and down Natsuko. He grinned. "It's nothing on your real self, but you look beautiful, Natsuko." He chuckled. "Now, I promised Alkaid to meet her, so I'll see you later, okay?"

Natsuko giggled. "From one girl to another, huh? And I thought I was the flirt."

Haruko rolled his eyes, and tagged the warp point. "You _are_ the flirt, Natsuko." He waved and vanished.

After a quick run to the Chaos Gate, Haruko warped to Θ Hidden Forbidden Battlefield. He gazed around for a moment. The place he'd arrived at was an island in the midst of a wide, flat swamp. The low, grassy hill held the remains of cobblestones, and the warp point itself stood in a ruined building. Grey clouds obscured the sky, and in the distance, a twisted statue of the dragon Magmeld floated, lit by lightning, a relic of the ancient wars between gods and humans.

Haruko stared around him in wonder, having never visited this Lost Ground before. A few yards in front of him, Alkaid stood just in front of the field's centerpiece- a great stone circle, connected by walkways to five other circles and decorated with an ornate mark. Its purpose was lost to Haruko, but despite the ruined conditions of everything else, it was whole. He smiled and ran towards Alkaid. "Hey, Alkaid!"

In an instant, a silver line sliced across Alkaid, and black dots floated almost gently away from the wound. Haruko's eyes flew wide as she collapsed to the ground. Her assailant stood triumphantly behind her, but at the sight of Haruko, she vanished in a whirl of darkness. However, Haruko managed to get a glimpse of Bordeaux's insane, grinning face.

He darted forward, and gathered Alkaid into his arms. "Chika! Are you okay?"

Alkaid smiled softly. "Haruko… I'm sorry…"

Haruko hugged her to him. "Chika!" He twitched. "Don't worry! I'll save you!" With a convulsive effort, he forced himself into an Avatar transformation.

Alkaid stared up at him, her smile lingering. "Shuu-chan…"

At the sound of her voice, Gemini exploded into a thousand tiny stars, and Haruko was left clutching Alkaid to him. "No… this can't be happening…"

Alkaid gazed up at him. "You'd better go quickly. Haseo's… going to come soon. If… if he sees you… he might think… you did this."

Haruko grit his teeth. "I don't care! I'll stay with you!"

Alkaid looked at his eyes. They gazed down at her with love, and she smiled. "Shuu-chan… I wish you enough."

Haruko froze. "What… did you say?"

Alkaid smiled. "My… goofy dad… He's always interested in odd sayings. He… found that one… in an old Irish book. Do you… know it?"

Of course, Haruko knew it well. His love for ancient tales and sayings was well known to all of his friends, including Chika. He gulped. "R-remind me?"

Alkaid chuckled softly. "You know it, all right… but here goes." She wrapped her arms around him. "It's a wish from long, long ago, and as beautifully poetic as you'd expect from the Celts." She took a deep breath and continued, "I wish you enough sun to keep yourself bright, no matter how grey the day might appear, and enough rain to appreciate the sun even more."

Haruko tensed. "Chika…"

Alkaid nodded. "I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting… and enough pain that even the smallest of joys in your life might appear bigger."

Haruko trembled, and spoke the next two lines along with her. "I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess."

Alkaid smiled, and kissed him gently. "Shuu-chan… I wish you enough hellos… to get you through the final… good-bye."

Haruko wept openly. "No… It's not 'good-bye'. Not yet!"

Alkaid laid her hand on his cheek. "Just for now… You'll help wake me up again, won't you?" She sighed. "You'd better go. Haseo's coming."

Haruko laid her gently on the ground. "Please… don't go…"

Alkaid smiled at him. "Don't cry. And, do me a favor?"

Haruko looked at her, anguish in his face. "Yes? Anything!"

Alkaid giggled softly. "When I wake up…" she whispered, "I want you to be the first one I see. Okay?"

Haruko nodded. "All right…" Tears ran down his face as he warped out, leaving Alkaid lying on the ground behind him. As he vanished from view, he caught a glimpse of Haseo running down the walkway, but it didn't matter to him.

Sora tore off his headset and stumbled back from the computer. "Chika… this can't be real…" He clutched his head. "It isn't! I won't let this be real!" He staggered around his room. "Why? Don't I deserve any happiness at all? Haven't I done enough to deserve something back?" His eyes stormed. "I've given everything I have! I nearly died more than once, trying to protect others! And this is the thanks I get?" He slumped to his knees. "Why… why do I keep going on? Akiko… Shizuka… Chika… and everyone else… I know it's worth it, but…" He began to sob again. "Chika… Don't go…" He threw back his head and stared at the ceiling, his eyes blank and without pupils.

A moment later, the birds that were settled in the trees all around the dorm took flight as a horrible yell shattered the silence.

Author's Notes: ... I only have one thing to say.

I'm evil. XD And I've been planning that scene for so long... it felt really great when I was finally able to get to this point in writing and commit it to page. By the way, that 'blessing' Haruko and Alkaid said near the end of the chapter is an actual blessing I've seen in the past. I was really glad for a chance to use it.

Oh, and one more thing that may need to be explained is Haruko's "complete set" comment... The names Haruko, Natsuko, and Akiko are each formed by the kanji for a season plus "ko", meaning "child". So they are "Spring Child", "Summer Child", and "Fall Child", respectively. When combined with Yuki (Fuyuko, "Winter Child", is rarely used, so Yuki or "Snow" is often used instead), the complete set of seasons is represented in the guild.


	23. Fog

Some time later, Sora opened his eyes and stared around. He was still in his dorm room, lying on his bed. Akiko lay sprawled in his computer chair, fast asleep, and Renée was snuggled with Hiruma on the floor in a sleeping bag. When he looked above him, realizing that his head was at a strange angle, he saw Shizuka's sleeping face high above him. He sighed. "I made them worry again…"

Sliding gently out of Shizuka's lap, he slipped out of the room, still wearing the clothes he'd worn yesterday. He paused, wondering if he should wake Akiko up for school- it was clearly early in the morning- but decided to just leave it to the alarm. The others would wake up once it went off. Better to avoid their pity and undeserved love for as long as possible. He left the dorm and stared around into the morning fog.

The opening beats of "Asterisk" sounded in the cold morning air, and Sora groaned and snapped his phone open. "Yeah?" he said dully.

A girlish giggle emitted from the speaker. "Hey, Sora-kun! It's me, Mistralll!" As usual, she held the 'l' for a surprisingly long time. "We just finished moving in! Want to come down and see?"

Sora shook his head. "No… I'm not really feeling up to it right now."

Mistral paused. "Hey, what's up, Sora-kun? Something's got you sounding really depressed." She giggled. "Come on, you can tell me!"

Sora grit his teeth. "It's… nothing. I'm fine."

Mistral clucked her tongue. "Now, now… I can tell when someone needs cheering up," she admonished. "I'm coming down to see you, okay?"

Sora clenched his fist on the phone, nearly cracking the casing. "Mistral-chan… that's really not necessary."

Mistral's voice took on a rare serious tone. "I'm not taking 'no' for an answer, Sora-kun. Part of the reason I moved down to Kyoto was so I could pop in and visit you sometimes, instead of depending on email and chat programs to get in touch. Now, I'll be waiting in the park, on that one bench near the river, okay? See you in a few minutes." She giggled. "And don't forget… it's very rude to keep a lady waiting for you!"

Sora sighed as Mistral cut the connection with a soft click. "That woman…" he muttered. "Where does she keep all of that energy?" He stared out into the fog with an indifferent expression on his face. "She'll get mad if I keep her waiting. I'd better get to the park."

Mistral was already there when he arrived. He sat down next to her, and she turned and smiled at him. Her hair was long and brown, and her eyes sparkled with an almost boundless energy. "Okay… so what's happened to you, Sora-kun?"

Sora sighed. "I don't want to talk about it."

Mistral patted his shoulder. "Come on, I'm your friend, aren't you? Akira-chan used to tell me all about her troubles."

Sora knew that. Hayami Akira was the person behind the dot hacker BlackRose, and an old friend of his. Her brother, Fumikazu…

He blinked. "Right… Kazu-kun…"

Mistral frowned. "I thought it might be that. Someone fell into a coma, then?"

Sora nodded glumly. Mistral laid a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Sora-kun. You're one of the most energetic people I know. To see you drained like this…"

A blonde head of hair popped in front of Mistral's face, and two light brown eyes sparkled at him. "Wow… I've never seen you like this before, Sora-chan!"

Sora gave her a hollow smile. "Hello, Mirei-chan."

Mistral's daughter, Mirei, giggled. "Hey, Sora-chan!" She hugged him.

Mistral giggled. "I was wondering where you got to, Mirei. So now, the three most wild people on the planet are gathered in one place."

Sora sighed. "Not anymore…"

Mirei tightened her hold on him. "What's up with you, Sora-chan? You look like a dead fish with those eyes of yours."

Sora grit his teeth. "I don't know!" He sighed. "I… I really don't know. But…"

Mistral patted his shoulder. "Start from the beginning."

Sora sighed. "Chika… she's in a coma. And it's tearing me apart." He shook his head violently. "But that's what I don't understand! I'm stronger than this… right?"

Mistral smiled. "Strong? Of course you are! But that doesn't mean you can't break down." She nodded. "So… what's this 'Chika' person like?"

Sora smiled softly. "She's a great person. She's one of my rivals, and a wild, fiery-spirited person." He chuckled. "And she looks so cute, both in and out of 'The World'."

Mistral smiled. "She sounds nice."

Sora nodded. "She is. And she's the only person in a very long time to fight me to a draw."

Mirei blinked. "I've never heard of anybody who could draw with you, Sora-chan! I mean, Balmung always beat you, but then again, nobody could beat that guy."

Mistral shook her head. "There was one, once. But you weren't born yet." She looked at Sora. "Back then…"

Sora blinked. "Do you think that's it? Because she reminded me of Sora-kun?"

Mistral shook her head. "No… But back then, you looked a lot like this." She giggled, laced her fingers together, and held them in front of her stomach to suggest fatness. "And I looked like this!"

Mirei giggled. "Really?"

Mistral smiled, and hugged her. "Yup!" She tapped her own stomach. "You were still in here, waiting to be born."

Sora smiled slightly. "I remember that. Your mommy let me touch her belly while you were still in there."

Mirei giggled. "Oh, yeah? Too bad I can't remember that…" She giggled again. "Well, I know something that feels just as nice, that you could do for me right now…"

Sora hugged her. "You mean this?"

Mirei smiled, and hugged him back. "Yeah! Isn't that nice?" She snuggled against him. "Feeling better now?"

Sora sighed. "Sorry, Mirei-chan… but I don't think even one of your hugs can make me feel better right now."

Mirei pouted. "Aw…"

Mistral laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Mirei." She gently moved her daughter aside. "How about one of my hugs, Sora-kun?"

Sora gave a half-smile as Mistral wrapped him in a soft hug. "Sorry…" He sighed. "What do you think's wrong with me, Mistral-chan? Why do I feel like I've been hollowed out?"

The first rays of the dawning sun broke through the fog and lit up Mistral's face as she spoke. "I think it's because you're in love with her," she said, and then giggled and added, "That's so cute!"

Sora's eyes went wide. "Love…"

Mirei giggled. "You had no idea, did you?"

Sora shook his head. "No… I didn't…" He sighed. "I really am an idiot."

Mirei giggled. "Well, duh!" she said playfully.

Mistral patted his back. "It's okay. Love's a tricky thing, you know."

Sora blinked. "Now… now it makes sense. At Christmas, something kept holding me back from kissing her- because I hadn't realized that I was in love. And that's why I feel like this…" He broke off. "I… never even told her."

Mistral hugged him against her. "It's all right. You didn't even know, right?"

Sora twitched. "But… That's just it! She's gone, and I can't tell her now!" He slumped against her. "I love her… and now I've lost her…"

Mistral stroked his hair. "Go ahead, Sora-kun. Let it out."

Sora sniffed, and then began to sob loudly. Mistral nodded, and gently pressed him against her. "That's it…" She smiled. "Back then… I wanted to hold you like this. So now that you've lost someone important to you once again, I'm going to."

Mirei moved behind Sora and wrapped her small arms around his neck. "It's okay, Sora-chan."

Mistral nodded. "We're here for you." She patted his back. "I doubt you want to face the others right now, right?"

Sora sniffed. "Right. I… I made them worry about me again, and I let them see me completely broken. I messed up…"

Mistral smiled. "Okay, then it's decided. You can stay with us for a few days. Take some time, pull yourself together, and get your strength back."

Sora raised his head and stared at her, tears still running down his face. "You'd do that for me?"

Mistral nodded. "Of course!" She grinned. "We've got a guest room for a reason, you know. Besides, I told you before… if you need one, you can always think of me as another mother."

Mirei giggled. "Yeah! I don't mind sharing my mommy with you. Wouldn't it be fun to stay with us a couple of days?"

Sora sighed. "Thanks… both of you. I don't want to impose… but I do need somewhere to stay."

Mistral nodded, and gently lifted him to his feet. "It's not imposing. We've been friends for a long time, after all."

Mirei smiled, and tightened her hold on his neck. "Piggyback? Please?"

Sora nodded, and lifted her legs into his arms. "Sure…" He nodded to Mistral, and followed her slowly as she led him to her home.

When they arrived, he let Mirei down, and slumped into a chair. Mistral gave him a worried look, and brought him into the guest room, where he flopped down wearily on the bed. Mistral smiled, and gently tucked him in. Sora nodded, and closed his eyes. "Thank you, Mistral-chan."

Within moments, he was asleep. Mistral laid a gentle hand on his forehead, and frowned. Mirei was waiting when she left the room. Once her mother had closed the door, she said, "Is he going to be all right?"

Mistral sighed. "I don't know." Her usual cheerful look had been replaced by a look of deep concern. "His mind's a wreck, and he feels really feverish. We're going to have to take care of him, okay?"

Mirei nodded. "Of course! Poor Sora-chan… I hope he's not getting sick…"

Mistral smiled. "It's all right," she assured Mirei. "Even if he gets sick, he's safe with us." Mirei smiled and ran off to her room, and Mistral sighed. "Sora-kun… I hope you haven't pushed yourself too far this time."

Author's Notes: Even Sora's not invincible... This chapter, and sequence, is proof of that in a way. On a lighter note, I do love Mistral and Mirelle a great deal. They're both so ridiculous... And, of course, it's just a lot of fun having all these old characters make appearances. Sora's been playing the game for ten years, and it shows in the immensely wide network of friends he's brought together.


	24. Resignation

Two days later, Akiko, Henako, and Yuki gathered outside of the Twilight Guardians Home, called by a summons from Haruko. Once all three had gathered, they nodded to each other and entered. Zefie nodded as they entered, and stepped aside. Haruko sat with his back to them, wings drooping. He sighed. "You all came… Thank you."

Yuki stepped forward. "Where've you been, Guildmaster? We've been worried about you."

Henako nodded. "Yeah! We thought you might have gotten gobbled up by that creepy new monster from the Abyss Quest!"

Akiko blinked. "The 'God Eater'? What are you talking about this time?"

Henako shrugged. "If it eats gods, maybe it eats players, too! There were quests before that people got attacked playing."

Yuki rolled her eyes. "That was the 'Forest of Pain' challenge, remember? You guys checked that out a long while back- no AIDA involvement at all."

Akiko nodded. "And besides, I already took out that quest."

Haruko let out a hollow chuckle. "I thought you might… I have no interest in it. As a Descendant of Fianna, I've already slain the true 'One Sin'. There's no point in me taking on a watered-down version that C.C. Corp made."

Yuki smiled. "Aw, don't be like that. It's not as powerful as the Spectrum Dragon you fought, but it could still be fun. Why not take it on with Atoli, or maybe Alkaid?"

Akiko winced visibly at the name 'Alkaid', and Haruko twitched. "I called you here today… because I've realized that I can't put you all in harm's way any longer."

Yuki blinked. "What? But… you can't be thinking of dissolving the Guardians!"

Haruko sighed. "That's exactly it. Or rather… I'm no longer its leader."

Henako and Yuki drew back. "If you all want to keep helping others," Haruko continued, "I will not stop you. That's probably best, actually. But from now on, I'll be the only one fighting AIDA."

Akiko grit his teeth. "Haruko… you're resigning?" he growled.

Haruko nodded. "Yes. I'm not worried about the guild. Kuhn, or Helio-kun, or maybe you, Akiko-kun… any of them could lead everyone, and twice as well as I have."

Yuki shook her head. "Are you kidding? Nobody's as good a leader as you are."

Henako pouted. "And what's with the 'maybe' for Captain Akiko?" she said, indignant.

Akiko shook his head. "Leave it, Henako." He strode forward. "Haruko… is this about Alkaid?"

Haruko twitched again, and slowly turned his head. "So… you know about my pain as well…"

All three captains gasped as he turned his face to them. His eyes were glazed over and completely pupil-less. Worse, their lively green had dulled to the color of a dirty river, and the light had completely gone out of them. Henako and Yuki dashed to his sides, lifting him onto their shoulders. "Guildmaster!" Yuki called out. "What happened to you?"

Henako nodded stiffly. "Don't worry! We'll find whoever took it!"

Yuki blinked. "Took what?"

Henako smiled. "You know!" she said loudly, forcing herself to keep up her usual energy. "That little fairy that lives in his eyes and makes them sparkle like they always do! Someone must have swiped it, but we'll get it back!"

Haruko lowered his head. "Sorry, Henako-chan… Even your wonderful weirdness can't cheer me up this time."

Akiko grit his teeth. "That's good, you two. Hold him nice and still."

Haruko looked up wearily, and saw Akiko charging him, drawing his broadsword in a blaze of light as he came. Before either of his fellow captains could react, he drove a massive blow across Haruko's chest that knocked him into the wall. With a roar, he dropped the sword and drew his scythe, driving slice after slice into his guildmaster's chest.

Yuki grabbed his arm. "Akiko, cut it out! What are you doing?"

Henako yelled a battle-cry. "Mutiny! Bring out the secret weapons!"

Akiko grit his teeth. "What's wrong with you, Haruko? Get up and take back everything you just said!"

Haruko looked at Akiko in silence as he shrugged Yuki off and continued his assault. Within moments, his health bar dropped to zero, and he crumpled to the floor. Henako dashed in front and cast Rip Maen. Yuki stood by her side, raising her grimoire. "What are you thinking?" she yelled. "We swore to protect Master Haruko!"

Akiko glared at her. In real life, the player reached up and took hold of the special voice modifier attached to the M2D's headset. "Protection? Why do you think I'm here in the first place?" With a convulsive jerk, Akiko's player yanked off the module. "Sora, get up," she said in her normal voice.

Haruko's head snapped up and stared at Akiko. "You're… Akiko?"

Akiko nodded. "That's right. Your first captain, Akiko, is really me, Raikiri Akiko… your rival and your girlfriend." He stepped forward. "Your eyes are just like they were in the real world. I hate seeing them like this."

Henako blinked. "Whoa… Captain Akiko's a girl?"

Yuki looked at her. "You didn't know?"

Haruko shook his head. "Another thing I screwed up. How could I miss that connection?"

Akiko shrugged. "Most people would never think of using their own name as their PC's name. That was my point of safety. And I used a voice distorter on purpose so nobody would know it was me."

Haruko sighed. "All the more reason to end this," he said glumly. "I've already lost Chika. What would I do if I lost you as well?"

Akiko turned his back on him. "Beating up on you here is getting boring. Be ready, Sora. I'm going to come to you, and when I do I'm going to hit you for real."

He warped out, and Henako and Yuki turned back to Haruko. Haruko gave them a last, hollow smile and vanished as well.

Minutes later, Akiko burst into Sora's guest room, and found him sitting slumped in a chair. He raised his head and looked at her. "Akiko…"

Akiko clenched her fists. "It's a good thing Mayumi-san told us you were staying with her. You had us worried!"

Sora sighed. "I'm sorry…"

Akiko shook her head. "Not good enough! What are you doing, abandoning your duties and telling us all to forget about AIDA?"

Sora shook his head. "I want you to pull out, Akiko. And Shizuka, as well. I've proven time and again that I can't protect anyone, so you have to stay where you don't need my protection."

Akiko stepped forward, and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Sora…" Her face suddenly became fierce, and she drove her fist into his stomach. "That's bullshit, and you know it!"

Sora stared up at her, dumbfounded. "What's wrong?" Akiko snorted. "I told you I was coming over so I could hit you in real life."

Sora shook his head. "That's not it. I was expecting the punch. But… I've only ever heard you swear once before."

Akiko glared at him. "So what? Times like this are what swear words were invented for!" She looked at him. "Tell me, Sora. If you're so incapable of protecting anyone, who's responsible for Shizuka-san still being alive, and unharmed?"

Sora sighed. "She wouldn't have been hurt in…"

Akiko cut him off. "Stop that!" She slapped him across the face. "Picture her in your mind. See the blood flowing through her." Her eyes bored into his. "See how some of it's not hers? That's two pints of your blood, Sora, two pints that saved her life!"

Sora ignored the slap, and looked away. "But I let her get that badly hurt in the first place!" He shivered. "I'll never forget when I first saw her lying there."

Akiko sighed. "Sora… she's not the only one you've saved. You're a hero who's protected countless people!"

Sora snorted. "I'm no hero." He closed his eyes. "What would you know, anyway?"

Akiko grabbed one eyelid and forced it open. "I know you loved her, Sora. And I know how that feels."

Sora seemed to explode with rage. "Don't touch me!" He slapped her hand away. "And how would you know how I'm feeling right now? How could you possibly know how it feels to lose someone you love?"

Akiko's eyes darkened. "Does the name Raikiri Itou mean anything to you?"

Sora caught his breath. "Your father…"

Akiko nodded. "That's right. My father, who died when I was six. Do you think I don't remember how I felt that day? Of course I know what it's like to lose someone you love." She hugged him tightly. "It feels terrible, like you've been slugged, had the wind knocked out of you, and then been hollowed out inside."

Mistral poked her head in. "Sora-kun, you should be in bed!" She gently lifted him from the chair and tucked him into the bed. He shivered, and Mistral clucked her tongue. "Chills again?"

Sora nodded, shivering still. "Yes. They just started."

Akiko blinked. "Are you… are you sick, Sora?"

Mistral laid a hand on Akiko's shoulder. "He's been running himself ragged for a while now, and with this on top of it, I think his mind and body just couldn't take it anymore." She sighed. "But he definitely is sick. To be honest, I'm surprised he hasn't taken ill before now."

Akiko nodded. "Okay." She looked at Sora. "If he's got the chills…"

Mistral nodded. "Exactly. I'm going to get some blankets now." She turned and left the room, humming softly.

Akiko came over and stood next to Sora. "My poor Sora…"

Sora shivered once more. "I'll be all right. Mistral-chan will take care of me."

Akiko looked at him. "What now, Sora?"

Sora sighed. "I'll go out there, and fight alone. You guys should keep the guild going, but it's time that we started doing what everyone thinks we do."

Akiko put her hand to his head. "You really are sick, aren't you? You're feverish… and you think you have to fight?" She blinked rapidly. "Why do you always think you've got to do these things?"

Sora gazed up at her. "It has to be me. I was chosen as the bearer of the Twilight Bracelet, after all."

Mistral halted just before the door, and the extra blanket she was carrying fell to the floor. "Kite's bracelet? He never told me…"

A tear fell on Sora's cheek. "So that's it? You're going to fight until there's nothing left of you?"

Sora shook his head. "I won't die. I promised, remember?"

Akiko twitched. "But…" She began to sob. "What's the point if you ruin yourself doing it?"

Sora grit his teeth. "Don't you understand? I can't lose you!"

Akiko shook her head, sending teardrops flying. "And I can't lose you, Sora!" She clasped his hand to her. "Not ever… I couldn't bear that…"

Sora blanched, and tried to pull away. "Akiko… I'm sick; you shouldn't touch me…"

Akiko shook her head. "I don't care! And don't change the subject!" She sniffed. "How do you think we feel, having to see you like this?"

Sora turned away from her. "I'm sorry… but I have to do this."

Akiko squeezed his hand. "Why? You're only one person. You shouldn't have to fight alone!" She pulled his arm. "Look at me! You're our leader, no matter what!"

Sora shook his head. "I'm nobody's leader. Not anymore. Look at me. I couldn't save anyone. Not now, and not then."

Akiko's eyes flew wide. "You're… you're talking about him?"

Sora nodded. "The one who gave me my name. I couldn't save Sora-kun, no matter how hard I tried."

Akiko grit her teeth. "Close your eyes, Sora."

Sora complied, and a few moments later, a wonderful warm feeling came over him. He smiled. "What did you do, Akiko? That feels wonderful."

"Open your eyes," he heard her whisper.

When he did, Akiko's face appeared inches from his own. He blinked, moved his arms, felt bare, warm flesh. He stared at her. "What are you doing?" he whispered.

Akiko smiled. "Giving you what you deserve, Sora." She giggled. "Don't worry. I'm only missing my shirt right now."

Sora blinked. "But… I could be contagious! You'll get sick too!"

Akiko wrapped her arms around him. "I'm not afraid of an infection, Sora." She gently kissed his forehead. "This should warm you right up."

Sora tried to push her away, but she held fast. "Akiko… cut it out!"

Akiko laid her head beside his and turned him so his face was buried in her hair. "Relax, Sora. Just give it a minute. I'm not going anywhere."

Mistral entered with the extra blanket, saw the two of them, and smiled. She laid the blanket over them, nodded to Akiko, and left the room. Akiko smiled. "She's so nice… and she knows her stuff, too. I can already feel your shivers stopping."

Sora hugged her gently to him. "Why are you doing this? You're going to get sick, just like me."

Akiko melted into his arms at his touch. She laid her hand on his heart, feeling its labored, rapid beat. "Sora… did you forget already? You protected me."

Sora blinked. "What?"

Akiko pressed his head to her, and he sighed as the scent of her hair flowed into him. "That man, who came after me the night I confessed my love for you… you saved me from him."

Sora snorted. "You got hurt, and cut, and he ripped your kimono to shreds."

Akiko nodded. "That's true. I was hurt a little bit, and scared. But that was only a very little thing. But if you hadn't come…" She nodded firmly, tensing her body. "If you hadn't protected me from him, he would have taken me and… r-raped me." She drew a deep breath. "A few minutes later, and you would have found me lying there, naked and as broken as you are right now."

Sora's eyes widened. "Akiko… you've never talked about that night before now."

Akiko nodded. "Of course. I was terrified of that man, that night… and then you came, and fought him off." She snuggled against him. "Sora, you were amazing that night. Don't you see? You did come in time, and you did save me."

Sora sighed. "I know. But how can I face anyone, knowing that I failed even once? Let alone three times; Sora-kun, Yuuji-kun, and Chika all were hurt because I failed them."

Akiko tensed. "Do you think being a hero means you never fail, Sora? What makes a hero great is that they keep going, no matter what happens to them."

Sora closed his eyes. "I'm no hero."

Akiko clutched him tightly to her and kissed him. "Yes, you are! You've earned that title a hundred times over! Even people like Balmung admit it!" She smiled, gently stroking his fevered cheek. "And besides… you saved me, and you saved Shizuka's life. You're a hero to all of us. Take the titles you deserve in life."

Sora's eyes widened. "The titles I deserve…" In his mind's eye, Zefie appeared, repeating words she'd said to him nearly seven months ago. _It isn't arrogance to take a word, or a title, that befits you, Haruko. You are a true savior._ He looked at Akiko. "Do you really think I'm a hero?"

Akiko smiled. "Yes." She tensed slightly. "Sora… I love you. You're an absolutely beautiful person, especially when you're fighting to save others. And you've saved so many." She kissed his cheek. "That night… when I saw you after you beat that man, you were so beautiful." An image of Sora standing triumphant at the end of a kendo match flashed into her mind. His blade was still raised, and his head was turned slightly towards her. "I haven't seen you so beautiful since that time…"

Sora blinked. "That time?"

Akiko smiled. "Never mind." She sighed, and her whole body tensed. "You looked so beautiful that night… but please, don't keep doing that to yourself. You almost died for me that night. I don't ever want to see you die."

Sora gently wrapped his arms around her, and dug his fingers gently into her shoulder blades. "Relax, Akiko. Just because I'm miserable doesn't mean you should be."

As his fingers began to move and massage her, Akiko gasped. "Sora…" She cuddled against him. "That feels amazing…"

Sora nodded. "Thanks, Akiko. It'll take some time before I can feel happy again… but at least I'm not freezing cold now." He smiled, although his eyes remained dim. "You're so warm…"

Akiko hugged him tightly. "Don't ever stop…"

Author's Notes: Sorry, I know that's a bad place to stop the chapter, but there's really no other way to cut up the next one. Anyway... just in case there's some confusion, they're talking about the Sora from .hack/SIGN, who fell comatose at the end and lost his memories of "The World" after he woke up. He and Haruko were great friends and fierce rivals. So, to Haruko, his friend had truly died.


	25. Clash of Titans

A piercing ring cut through the air, and Akiko groaned. "What now?" Ignoring Sora's pout, she slipped out of bed and pulled on her shirt, and then drew out her cellphone. "What is it?" she snapped. A moment later, she blanched. "Oh… it's you. I'm sorry… It's just, I was with Sora, and… No, we weren't! I didn't even ask him to!"

She turned to Sora. "It's Yuki. Hang on a second." She turned back, and spoke quietly for a few minutes, and then snapped the phone shut and turned to Sora. "We've got a problem."

Sora nodded. "I heard you say 'Aquarios'. Is something happening?"

Akiko nodded. "He's back. He sent a message through Yuki that he wants to finish that interrupted duel."

Sora nodded, and tossed the covers back. "Okay. Let's go."

Akiko grabbed his arm. "Wait… are you sure? You're still sick."

Sora nodded. "I know. I'll need you to come with me, just in case." He smiled. "Besides, there's nobody I'd rather have by my side in a battle like this."

Akiko nodded, and darted for her bag. "Okay! We'll get him for sure this time!"

A few minutes later, Haruko and Akiko arrived at the designated field. Haruko looked around. Broken ice floes floated on a wide stretch of ocean. He shivered slightly. "This place…"

Akiko looked at him. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Haruko nodded. "Yeah… for now. We should finish quickly, though. I'm getting chilly just being here."

A cold laugh made them both turn. "Like it? I think it suits me pretty well, don't you?" Aquarios strode forward, holding his glaive upright. "So, shall we begin?"

Haruko shook his head. "No." He raised his katana. "Let's finish." He charged.

Akiko roared and followed him. "We'll take you down, Aquarios!"

Aquarios blinked. "Wait… that voice…" He jumped out of the way and slammed his hand down, calling a dragon from the water. "I know you!"

Akiko snorted, and thrust his lance through the dragon's head. "I don't care! You're going down!"

Aquarios sneered, and swept down his hand. "Just like I thought."

Haruko's eyes widened. "Akiko! Look out!" He ran forward and tackled him, knocking them both out of the way as the water that formed the dragon cascaded down, freezing into ice as soon as it touched ground.

Akiko stared at the mound of ice. "Thanks, Sora!"

Aquarios grinned. "You're not out of it yet!" He raised his hand, and a massive head rose from the water. He let out a howling laugh as the head rose further, revealing a long, snake-like neck. "The sea's mightiest creatures bend to my will!"

Akiko grunted. "Nasty…" He looked down. "And we didn't get away unscathed, either." He pointed to where both players had a foot stuck in the ice. "See?"

Aquarios laughed. "Get them, my pet!"

Akiko's eyes flared. As the massive head swooped down, he grabbed Haruko by his leg and pulled him free with a powerful jerk, and then tossed him away. Haruko got to his feet just in time to see the serpent's head dart down and grab Akiko in its jaws. "No!" he yelled, running forward, but Aquarios got in his way, forcing him to defend himself.

Akiko grit his teeth. "Let me go!" he shouted, squirming in the creature's mouth. The creature paid him little heed; it proceeded to toss its head back and give a single gulp. Haruko grit his teeth as Akiko vanished from sight.

Aquarios laughed. "That's one down! Looks like you've lost another girlfriend, Haruko!"

Akiko's voice sounded gently in Sora's ears. "Don't worry, Sora. I'm not done yet."

Haruko turned to look at the serpent. It began to cough and writhe, and a small part of its throat began to bulge out. Aquarios stared. "What the…?"

A bright flash shone out from the creature's neck, and with a hideous yell its head fell into the sea, severed neatly. Akiko stood grimly astride the stump, scythe raised. "That was disgusting!" he yelled, and leapt down. "You're going to pay for that!"

Aquarios prepared to defend himself, but Akiko crashed down and landed a blow that made his shield ring like a gong. Before he could react, Haruko flew in from the other side and buried his katana in him up to its hilt.

He turned to Haruko, and smiled. "Thanks…" he muttered softly, and then raised his hand. "Now, allow me to return the favor!"

A burst of icicles flew from his hand, and pierced Haruko over and over. With a gasp, he flew backwards. Akiko grit his teeth and took the opening to attack Aquarios, slicing him again and again with his broadsword. Aquarios smiled, even as he tried futilely to protect himself. "Shouldn't you be more worried about your boyfriend?" he muttered.

Akiko glanced towards Haruko, to see him struggling to get onto the floe once more. The attack had knocked him into the ocean, and the look on his face made it clear that the water was not the right temperature for swimming. Akiko darted over and pulled Haruko up to the shore. "Sora!" he yelled.

Haruko looked up at him, shivering badly. "Sorry…" His eyes widened. "Look out!" He shoved Akiko out of the way, but before he could move, water crashed down on him and froze around him. Aquarios gave a cold chuckle as Akiko got up and stared.

Akiko began hacking at the ice, but his weapons merely bounced off. Aquarios laughed. "Finally! Finally, we can sacrifice Haruko to Lady Morganna!" He motioned lazily with his glaive. "Move out of the way, little girl, and I'll spare you for the time being."

Akiko tensed. "No! He's my leader, and my love! I won't let you hurt him!"

Aquarios shrugged, gathering white energy into his right palm. "Fine, then. Die along with your boyfriend, if that's what you want." With a loud "Ha!" he thrust his hand forward, launching the Data Drain speeding towards Haruko.

It never reached him. Both Haruko and Aquarios stared as a wall of black dots erupted into being in front of the ice. They turned to see the same black dots bubbling up from Akiko. Haruko stared. "Akiko!"

Aquarios stared. "AIDA… You've been using AIDA to fight AIDA?"

Akiko nodded. "I'll do anything to protect you, Sora. No matter what the cost." He chuckled harshly. "After all, I never promised you that I wouldn't die protecting you."

Haruko blanched. "What are you thinking? You can't control it! It'll only end up consuming your mind! You're going to end up in a coma!"

Akiko shrugged. "I've controlled it up until now, and I've used its power for months." Black dots began to surge around him, and pieces of his character began to shatter and fly away. "As for the coma… if it saves your life, I don't care if I spend a while in a coma. After all, I know you'll save me from it in the end. Just like you'll save Alkaid!"

Aquarios smiled. "Interesting… An AIDA duel? I'll accept your challenge!" He charged. "You'll never defeat me! I am a Disciple of Morganna!"

Akiko snorted, and charged, forging a weapon of his own as he came. "You're letting AIDA control you, idiot! A weak-hearted person like you won't ever beat me!"

With a giant flash of light, the two fighters clashed and flew past each other. Aquarios smirked. "Got her," he said softly.

Akiko turned to him, now fully transformed. Her real face glared at her opponent from below a black helmet that hid her hair beneath it, and she held a massive, two-handed sword that Haruko recognized as a Scottish blade known as a claymore. Skin-tight, flexible armor, jet-black and decorated with red lines, covered her entire body, but hid the fact that she was now a girl. She snorted. "You're the one who was 'gotten'," she said.

Aquarios blinked, and then looked down as his shield quivered and snapped in half. "What?!" he screamed.

Akiko charged again, swinging her claymore as she came. Aquarios yelped and jumped back, landing in the water. Akiko snorted, and dropped her blade, raising her fist and concentrating pulsating black energy into it. With a yell, she slammed her fist down on the water. The water's surface deformed into a crater under the impact, and then an entire section of ocean exploded upwards, and Aquarios flew into the air along with the foam and spray, utterly stunned. Akiko seized her blade and leapt into the air after him, spiking him back down to the ground with a powerful slash.

He chuckled softly as she landed next to him. "Not bad," he said, as he blocked an attack that was meant for his head. "It seems we're not so different after all."

Akiko snorted. "What are you talking about?" she asked, swinging laterally at him. "You and I are nothing alike."

Aquarios shook his head. "Not true," he said, blocking her with the shaft of his glaive and swinging the free end down towards her head. "After all, we're both fighting for someone we love, someone we'd do anything for."

Akiko paused, ducking backward to avoid his blow. "What are you talking about? You're a Disciple!"

Aquarios nodded. "True, but not really by my choice. The deal I made with Pyrrhia was that she would not be harmed as long as I fought for him." He grit his teeth, and swung again. "I'll do whatever I must, kill whoever I have to… as long as my Mamori lives, I don't care who else dies!"

Akiko stared, not even feeling the blow as it sliced into her. "Hanada… Meikan-san…" Her eyes focused, and blazed. "You…" She charged forwards, swinging her blade in all directions. "How could you? You know that Tamaki-sensei cares about both me and Sora!"

Aquarios backed up under her onslaught. Several strikes broke through his pitiful guard, landing solidly on him. "I don't… understand…" he muttered. He stared at her sword. "How can she be so strong? That sword's easily as large as her, and yet she's swinging it around as if it were as light as a toothpick!"

Akiko continued her frenzied assault. "We're nothing alike, Aquarios! I would never kill for Sora! I don't care what happens to me, as long as he's safe… but I won't hurt others!"

Aquarios grit his teeth and blocked the next strike. "Shut up! What do you know about me, anyway? They'll kill her if I don't kill for them!"

Akiko howled and spun at an impossible speed, ducking under his guard and knocking him back. "Don't you see what you're doing to her? No matter how much she tries to hide it, I know she's been feeling worse and worse lately. What happens to them is on her conscience, Aquarios! She doesn't want you to kill for her!"

Aquarios snorted. "I don't care! Mamori… and our little Tsubaki… I'll kill anyone who threatens them!"

Akiko's next blow snapped his glaive in half. "Then why haven't you killed Pyrrhia yet? You're pitiful. We may fight for the ones we love, but that's the only way we're alike." She swung down again. "I risk my life for Sora's sake. What do you do for Tamaki-sensei? All you've done is let yourself be blackmailed into killing others, all in the name of loving her." She smirked. "I bet you like killing them. That's why you do it!"

Aquarios pushed her blade back with one broken piece, and with a howl he launched a desperate attack against her with the blade. "Don't you dare talk to me like that!"

The strike only knocked Akiko's helmet flying, and she turned to him, her sandy-blonde hair flying in the wind. "You're nothing like me," she said coldly, and struck him across the back with all of her might.

The blow sent Aquarios skipping across the water, to crash back on the floe where the battle had begun. Akiko leapt lightly across and landed in front of Haruko. Aquarios staggered to his feet. "Enough…" he muttered. AIDA particles surged out of him. "Enough! Let's go, Hyozanryu!"

With a roar, a long, sinuous dragon burst out of the wall of blackness behind him. Aquarios laughed and took to the air, his eyes shining red. Akiko sighed. "Sora… I'm sorry." She raised her head, black energy surging around her. "We're on! Itou!"

Haruko stared as her own dragon burst into existence around her. Unlike all the other Dark Avatars he'd encountered, this one was lit with a bright golden light, and it eyes were the exact same shade of blue as Akiko's. Five spikes rose from its head, and Akiko floated in its center, surrounded by AIDA particles. With a roar, the dragon spread its wide wings and took to the air.

Aquarios laughed. "A Chinese dragon against a European dragon… this fight keeps getting more and more interesting!" He charged, and Hyozanryu pierced straight through the center of Itou. Akiko yelled and whirled around, and Itou opened its mouth wide and spat a burst of lightning at the enemy.

Aquarios' eyes bulged, and he tried to dodge, but when he evaded the bolt, Itou darted down with surprising speed, slashed it with powerful claws, and then caught it, dove, and smashed it into the ground. Hyozanryu slithered quickly into the water to recover, and Itou turned to Haruko.

Haruko stared. "Akiko… what are you doing? You're going to…"

Akiko floated gently up in front of him. "It's okay, Sora. See?" She brought her eyes up to his, and he saw that although the whites of her eyes had turned black, her eyes were still the same blue as always.

Nevertheless, he began to cry. "Akiko… why?"

Akiko smiled, and gently kissed him. "Because I love you, Sora. And that's also why I can use it. The strength of my heart, combined with my love for you, allows me to keep AIDA at bay." She tensed. "Even so…"

With a loud splash, Hyozanryu burst from the water and spat a blast of ice at her. Itou whirled and countered with a bolt of lightning, and the two streams clashed, creating a massive reaction of energy at the center. Akiko grit her teeth and forced her will into the attack. Slowly, Hyozanryu's attack was pushed back, and Aquarios yelled in fear as the ice stream broke and let the bolt through. He was once again barely able to dodge.

Akiko glared up at him, but with a hiss, Hyozanryu darted forward again and sank its teeth into Itou's neck. Itou roared, and began to slash at its enemy's long body with its claws. Haruko stared. "I've… got to help!" he yelled.

Akiko nodded. "You want to help? Then be ready!" Itou reached out and seized Hyozanryu just below its head. In response, the serpent-like dragon coiled its body around its opponent and squeezed hard. When Itou refused to let go, Hyozanryu opened its mouth and blasted it with ice.

Akiko winced under the onslaught. "Fine, then…" Electricity crackled around the five horns on Itou's head, and suddenly a powerful shock burst out of it and into Hyozanryu. Lightning and ice flared around both dragons, creating massive bursts of light and energy. Within moments, the barriers on both Avatars shattered simultaneously.

Aquarios laughed. "Got you!"

Akiko shook her head. "No. This is the end for you." She nodded. "Now, Sora! We're in the right alignment; Data Drain us both!"

Haruko blanched. "Are you crazy? You'll go into a coma!"

Akiko grit her teeth. "Hurry! I can't hold him for long!"

Haruko stared. "But… Akiko!"

Akiko whirled on him. "I'm losing control." Her right eye began to dim, and then to flicker slowly between red and blue. "Hurry, while I'm still me!"

Haruko stared, tears running down his face. "Akiko… why?"

Akiko smiled. "I already told you. Because I love you." She tensed. "Now, hurry!"

Haruko nodded. "Right…" He closed his eyes, and focused all his strength into his love for Akiko, his desire to protect her from AIDA… and his anger at Aquarios and the other Disciples. The Twilight Bracelet shone with energy, melting the ice around it. Haruko's eyes snapped open. "Data… Drain!" he yelled.

A golden beam shot forth from the bracelet and pierced both Akiko and Aquarios through their hearts, and a golden sphere erupted around them as the Data Drain began.

With a terrible scream, an enormous quantity of AIDA particles boiled out of each of the two fighters. Data flew from them both into the bracelet, and Haruko winced as Akiko screamed in pain from the attack. Both struggling dragons burst into tiny spheres, and with a crack, the ice surrounding Haruko shattered.

He dashed forward and caught Akiko in his arms as Aquarios gently floated to the ground nearby. "Akiko!" he yelled.

Akiko smiled. "How the heck… did you make it… through this, back then?" She coughed. "Ow… Well, if you can survive a Data Drain, then I certainly can."

Haruko stared down at her. "I'm sorry… I was weak, and because of that, you had to do this for me…"

Akiko began to shine blue. "No. I chose to do this a long time ago. And you're just as strong as I am. Stop blaming yourself for what happens to everyone who decides to take a bullet for you. It's not your fault that I let AIDA infect me, so I could better protect you." She laid a hand on his cheek. "I love you, Sora."

Haruko bent, and kissed her. She giggled. "Hey… I felt that… That's cool!" She smiled, even as her body began to dissolve. "Make sure… I don't sleep too long, okay?"

Haruko clutched the remaining parts of her to him. "I'll be right there. Make sure you're awake by the time I get to you, okay?"

Akiko laughed. "Okay." By now, her face was the last remaining part of her. She gave him one last smile, and then was gone.

Aquarios coughed. "Haruko…"

Haruko looked at him. "What?"

Aquarios sighed. "I know… I don't deserve it… but I need to ask a favor of you."

Haruko glared. "Oh?"

Aquarios nodded. "I… I want you to protect… Yuki… I made the others swear… that they wouldn't touch her… but…"

Haruko stared. "Yuki-chan?

Aquarios nodded. "Yes… I love her… so much…" His eyes wavered. "I'm… sorry about what I did… to Alkaid. I know… you loved her, like I do Yuki…" He coughed, and began panting more heavily, struggling to hold on to consciousness.

Haruko nodded. "Okay… I'll protect her." His eyes darkened. "But I don't think I can forgive you. Not for a long time."

Aquarios chuckled. "I'm not… surprised. Not even you… can forgive what I did."

Both of them turned as the familiar sound of someone warping in echoed across the field. Yuki appeared in a whirl of energy, and darted straight to Aquarios' side. "Meikan!" she yelled.

Haruko stared. "No… Hanada-san?"

Aquarios nodded. "Yeah…"

Haruko looked at Yuki. "So… you're Mamori-san?"

Yuki ignored him, holding Aquarios tightly to her. "Meikan…"

Aquarios chuckled softly, and scratched her ear gently. "Mamori… he got me. That Sora-kun's one tough kid, you know. And Akiko-san was just amazing…"

Yuki smiled. "I know. Zefie let me watch the whole thing, even though she wouldn't let me come before now."

Aquarios sighed, as his body turned blue and began to dissolve like Akiko's had. "Mamori… take care of yourself, okay? And our little Tsubaki…"

As he vanished, Yuki turned her tear-filled eyes to Haruko. He stared. "Mamori-san… I'm…"

Before he could finish, Yuki darted forward and gave him a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you, Haruko!" she wept. "Thank you, so much… You've given me my Meikan back."

Haruko blanched. "But… he's a Lost One now…"

Yuki sniffed. "I know… but it's gone. AIDA's gone from his mind, and I finally have my wonderful husband back."

Haruko sighed. "I'm sorry, Mamori-san… I shouldn't have let my loss get in the way."

Yuki snorted. "Don't be silly! I know how much Alkaid meant to you. And Akiko-chan told me all about your sickness."

Haruko nodded. "But… you should stay out of the game for a while. Not for me, but for Tsubaki-chan's sake."

Yuki shook her head. "No. You've given me back Meikan. So, no matter what, I'm going to help you get back the people you've lost." She nodded and said, "And besides, I want to see Nagi, and Mirage, and everyone else come back."

Haruko smiled. "You're right… but what about Tsubaki-chan?"

Yuki smiled. "It's okay. I'm staying with my sister right now, and she knows all about the AIDA problem. So if something happens to me, she'll make absolutely sure that nothing bad happens to my little baby."

Haruko nodded. "Okay." He grinned. "How's Tsubaki-chan doing, anyway?"

In real life, Mamori gently rubbed her stomach. "She's fine!" she said. "She's getting even bigger, you know. I'll show you the next time you come by Akiko-chan's school." She giggled. "And she's getting pretty active, too. I got barely any sleep last night because she was kicking around." She yawned. "In fact, I'm going to catch a nap right now, while she's being quiet."

Haruko blinked. "What about Hanada-san?"

Yuki smiled. "It's okay. My sister's already called an ambulance for him; he was staying with us, too." She yawned again, adding, "And don't worry about Akiko-chan. She's terrifically strong, and I just know she'll pull through." She winked. "I'll expect her at school on Monday, like always. See ya, Sora-kun!" She smiled and warped out.

Sora sighed, and pulled off his M2D. "Akiko?" he called softly.

There was no answer. Sora raised his head, dreading what he knew he would see. Akiko sat slumped in her chair, still wearing her M2D, her eyes closed. He got shakily to his feet and walked over to her. "Akiko?" he called again. He quickly put his hand on her chest, checking her heartbeat and breathing. Both were normal, and her face was calm and relaxed, with a slight smile on it.

Mistral entered, her face for once downcast. "I heard her yell… is she all right?"

Sora lifted Akiko into his arms, gazing at her. She looked exactly as she did when she was asleep, but Sora knew it wasn't sleep. He grit his teeth and hugged her tightly to him. "Akiko… please, don't leave me…"

Mistral laid a hand on his back. "Sora-kun… she'll come back…"

Sora sobbed. "Akiko, I can't go on without you. I can't do this anymore!" He fell to his knees and squeezed his eyes shut, crying openly.

He didn't really know how long he stayed like that, but suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped around him, and a pair of soft lips pressed against his. He opened his eyes, and a pair of deep blue eyes looked back.

Akiko stirred in his arms, and her hair fell across his face, filling his mind with the scent of pine needles. He drew back, barely daring to hope. "Akiko?"

Akiko giggled, and kissed him again. "Sorry to worry you, Sora. I just needed to rest for a few minutes, from the strain."

Sora laughed. "Oh, I've done that to you way too many times to be able to complain about it now." He hugged her. "I can't believe you're okay!"

Akiko nodded. "Hey… I see black…"

Sora blinked. "You mean… you're blind? Or is AIDA still there?"

Akiko giggled. "Nope. Thanks to you, AIDA's completely gone from my mind. No… but I do see black here… and here." As she said "here", she placed her finger gently on the center of first one eye, and then the other.

Sora blinked. "Oro?"  
Mistral giggled. "She's right, Sora-kun. Your eyes are back to normal."

Akiko smiled. "They probably won't stay that way for long- after all, Chika-san still hasn't come back yet- but for now, it's good to see you happy again."

Sora nodded. "Yeah… and now, we're finally getting closer to stopping AIDA."

Akiko grinned. "Yeah! That's two Disciples down, and two to go!" She sighed. "But, it looks like I can't help you anymore. That blast would have wiped out my character data entirely."

Sora hugged her to him. "It's okay. And maybe Renée-chan can figure out a way to recover it."

Akiko smiled. "Yeah, maybe…" She broke off, looking concerned. "Sora… you're shivering again!"

Sora blinked, and realized that his teeth had been chattering for the past few minutes. "I guess I didn't realize…"

Mistral smiled and pulled back the covers. "Well, let's get you into bed. And I'll come in a while later with some chicken soup, okay?"

Sora smiled, and let Akiko pick him up and lay him in the bed. "Sounds good. And if you make it, I bet it'll be delicious."

Mistral laughed. "Of course! After all, if a housewife can't cook well, what sort of housewife would she be? Nya ha!"

Akiko blinked. "She actually laughs like that… Who the heck laughs like that?"

Sora rolled his eyes, and with some difficulty managed to pull off his shirt. "She does, apparently."

Akiko smiled. "Hmmm… If you're going to take off your shirt, I should take off mine." She waited for him to close his eyes, and then slipped off her shirt and lay down on top of him. Sora quickly drew the covers up and over her, leaving only his own head showing. He sighed happily as the warmth of her body began to dispel his chills.

Akiko's laugh was muffled slightly by the blankets. "What are you up to?"

Sora grinned. "I'm jealously making sure nobody sees you without a shirt on."

Akiko rolled her eyes. "Including yourself? Come on in here, Sora."

Sora obligingly pulled the blankets over his own head as well. Akiko giggled. "I see you're wearing my necklace. Thanks!" She paused. "By the way… do you remember last weekend, when you offered to touch me with nothing in between? I… I'm willing to take you up on that offer, if you're still willing."

Sora blinked. "Huh? You were reluctant to even let me touch you through your shirt, and now you want me to touch your bare skin? What's up?"

Akiko smiled. "Oh… It's just that before, I was worried about AIDA. After all, I saw what it did to Amy-san, and she wanted to sleep with you, just like I want you to ask me to. So I tried to keep distant, in order to keep AIDA from making me hurt you."

Sora smiled. "Thanks… You're always keeping an eye out for me, aren't you?" He gently spun her around, laying her head just beneath his chin. "Let's take it a bit slower, first. One less layer, but still one layer left."

Akiko sighed happily as he pressed his hands to her chest. "Wow… that feels even nicer than before…" She grinned. "But they still feel chilly," she added, gently taking hold of them. "So…" With a sudden effort, she pulled his hands down and forced them inside her bra.

Sora laughed. "I thought you might do that. And you're right; they'll definitely be warmer there."

Akiko, meanwhile, was gasping for breath, amazed at the feeling of Sora's hands against her. She pressed his hands closer, and let out a small yelp. "Sora…" She bit her lip as Sora gently squeezed.

Sora smiled. "Wow… that feels nice. Thanks for doing that, Akiko. I bet it feels a lot nicer than when Kenji grabbed you, huh?"

Akiko blinked. "What are you talking about?"

Sora frowned. "I know Kenji. He would never have left without touching your body directly."

Akiko smiled. "Unless he was interrupted. And since Tamaki-sensei caught him before he had a chance to, I can happily tell you that you're the first boy ever to lay hands on my breasts." She sighed. "And it feels wonderful…"

Sora sighed. Akiko blinked. "Something wrong?"

Sora smiled. "Oh… it's just, I'm feeling a little guilty, since you're not the first girl I've touched like this." He shifted his fingers absently, making Akiko gasp from the sensation.

She smiled. "That's all right. It was Shizuka-san, wasn't it?" She giggled. "Sora, as long as you didn't sleep with her, I'm fine." She paused. "You didn't, right?"

Sora nodded. "If you can get me to ask you, you'll still be my first." He sighed. "But I saw her completely naked, and I touched her just like I'm touching you."

Akiko laughed. "How'd she get you to do that?"

Sora laughed. "Well, it was the same day we took Chika to the airport. I came back, and the water in my shower was running, but nobody was in there- or so I thought- so I started to take a shower…" Akiko began to laugh as he told the story. When he'd finished, he chuckled softly, slipped his hands downwards, and dug his fingers into her stomach. Almost instantly, loud giggles and laughter began to emerge from under the blankets. Mistral entered with a bowl of steaming soup, and smiled as she heard the two of them. "I guess we'll be having two guests for a little while," she said softly, and setting down the soup beside the bed, she left them alone.

Author's Notes: Two down... and Akiko's mysterious secret is finally revealed. (I do wonder if anyone actually saw that coming...) And more of Mistral being Mistral, of course. Nya ha!

I really do love Aquarios as a villain and as a character, especially in this scene. The "we're the same, you and I" speech, the complete abandonment of conscience, the full revelation of his motivations... and of course that scene that's a complete rip-off of the Hercules Disney movie (which I'm so going to be shot over), just combine so well in my mind. I really consider him my favorite villain in this piece... except maybe for Pyrrhia, but he's a very different kind of villain, after all.


	26. A Lively Dinner

That night, Mistral held the family dinner in Sora's room, overruling his protests as usual. Although everyone kept their distance from Sora, at his request (except for Akiko, who sat next to him), it was a pleasant evening for all. Even Sora, still upset over losing Chika and nearly losing Akiko, couldn't help but smile, his eyes sparkling like old times. Mistral had appeared first, bearing a pair of folding tables, and proceeded to set places for everyone. Mirei arrived soon afterwards, beaming and bearing trays of food, followed by Honda Rie, her tutor.

At her entrance, Sora let out a cry of, "Ouka-san!"

Rie smiled. "It's Rie here, remember?" She gently set down the trays she was carrying, and shifted her glasses slightly so that they wouldn't catch the light.

Akiko blinked. "Wait…" She looked at Rie, taking in her slim glasses, nearly hip-length brown hair, and obviously shy demeanor. "This girl… Rie-san, I mean… is 'Divine Fist Ouka'?"

Sora grinned. "Yeah! You wouldn't know it to look at her, but she was one of the toughest fighters around, back then."

Mirei giggled. "She was really cool when she fought." She pouted. "You and her should have battled sometime. It would have been amazing!"

Rie laughed. "Oh, like that wimpy mage would have stood a chance against me?"

Mirei puffed out her cheeks and glared at Rie. "Hey! You know Sora-chan was an awesome fighter! Or am I going to have to dig out that old video clip again?"

Akiko blinked. "Video clip?"

Sora groaned. "You still have that? Mirei-chan…" He chuckled. "No wonder everyone in 'The World' knows my title these days."

Akiko tilted her head, realizing. "So… you mean, Mirei-chan here is the one who made that clip of you fighting the Cobalt Knights?"

Sora laughed. "Akiko… Mirei-chan was Mirelle-chan, the unstoppably wild Wavemaster I was friends with three years ago."

Akiko stared at Mirei. "But… she's a little kid! Three years ago, she would have been…"

Rie smiled. "Four years old. Why do you think I hang around this crazy place?"

Mistral nodded. "Yep! My little Mirei is a prodigy, and Rie-chan here is her tutor!" She giggled. "Nya ha!"

Akiko twitched. "A housewife who actually says 'nya ha!', a seven year old genius, and a tutor who used to be one of the most feared players of 'The World'…"

Sora grinned. "And who went to Tokyo U! Don't forget that!"

Akiko's mouth went slack, and she shook her head. "This place is crazy! What, is your husband a mad scientist, Mayumi-san?"

They heard a soft laugh from just outside of the room. "I'm afraid not. I'm the ordinary one around here."

Mirei smiled as a harried yet kind-looking man entered the room. "Daddy!" she called out, and leapt into his arms.

Kurokawa Ryousuke smiled and caught Mirei as she leaped. "There's my little girl!" He smiled around at the others. "Sorry I'm late. There was a bit of traffic near the main building- protesters again." He sighed. "Things are going to get out of hand, pretty soon. The threat of legal action can't keep people from pinning Doll Syndrome on the company."

Sora nodded. "You're still doing that security guard job, then?"

Ryousuke nodded. "Yes." He turned to Akiko. "It seems we've got another guest tonight." He frowned. "Nobody told me about this…"

Akiko frowned back. Sora laid a hand on her shoulder, and smiled. "Ryousuke-san, Akiko only got here this afternoon, and you only just got back. Of course you wouldn't have heard."

Ryousuke smiled. "I'm pleased to meet you, Akiko-san."

Akiko bowed politely in return, and then burst into laughter. "This place is amazing!"

Ryousuke chuckled. "I'm glad you like it. After all, you're a guest here. You should be enjoying your visit."

Akiko nodded. "So, that 'security guard thing'…"

Mistral nodded. "Yeah! Ryousuke works as a security guard at C.C. Corp!"

Akiko tensed. "Huh…"

Sora put out a hand. "Easy, Akiko. Do you think I'd be talking to him as civilly as I do if he was on the other side?"

Akiko relaxed slightly, but kept her eyes on Ryousuke. "But he works for C.C. Corp…"

Ryousuke nodded. "That's right. I have been a guard there for some time. But I still retain a neutral position towards Aura and the dot hackers." He frowned. "By the way… I met your brother the other day, Sora-kun."

Sora tensed. "Adam-niisan…" He closed his eyes and tensed his body, forcing himself to remain calm. "Did he… send a message?" he asked calmly.

Ryousuke nodded. "Yes. He asked me to tell you that if you and your followers keep up your illegal activities, he will shut you all down personally."

Sora sighed. "Yet another reason I should resign as Guildmaster, and let the Guardians go back to doing what they were originally for."

Mistral blinked. "I thought you guys were formed to fight AIDA."

Akiko shook her head. "No. Sora brought most of us together nearly a month before AIDA appeared. Our missions were to stop PKers wherever we saw them, track down rumors wherever they spring up, whether they're true or false, and to help new players learn the basics and get into the game faster."

Mirei smiled. "Just like he used to do back when I knew him!"

Mistral laughed. "He was like that from the minute he entered the game, sweetie. You could say that Haruko was the original PKK."

Mirei nodded. "And he was always helping people out, too. Rena told me once that he helped her a lot with her first character."

Akiko sighed. "Back then, though… there weren't so many PKers. Now they're everywhere. And then AIDA came into the mix, and crazies like the Disciples who wield it for their own gain…"

Sora nodded. "Exactly. That's why I founded the guild in the first place. Even I can't handle all of those enemies on my own."

Akiko glared at him. "But you're still adamant about fighting AIDA all alone."

Ryousuke sighed. "Sora-kun… You should be careful. Your brother… he's an executive now. He may not be able to delete you, but he might go after your friends to try and get you to surrender."

Sora's eyes widened. "He's… an executive?" He shook his head rapidly. "That's bad. He could really be a nuisance to everyone." He nodded. "But he can't do anything to the guild if I'm not the Guildmaster anymore."

Akiko snorted. "You'd better not make that your reason, Sora. No matter what you say, you're the leader, and we'll follow you no matter where you go. So even if you leave, we'll keep fighting."

Sora shook his head, fire in his eyes. "No, you won't! If I catch you at it, I swear I'll help Adam-niisan stop you!"

Mistral stared. "Sora-kun…"

Akiko smiled. "To be honest… I expected just that from you." She chuckled softly. "But don't expect that answer to deter any of us."

Sora sighed. "I… I don't want AIDA to hurt to anyone else." He shook his head rapidly, and smiled. "Enough gloomy talk, though. Let's eat, eh?"

Mistral giggled. "Yeah! I worked hard on this dinner, you know! Eat up, everyone, or it'll get cold!"

Rie rolled her eyes, and served up a plate each for her and Mirei. "Don't let it get to you, Sora-kun. I met your older brother once at Tokyo U. He was a real pig back then, and I'm sure he hasn't changed since."

Sora nodded, sipping at a mug of chicken broth. "Yeah, he hasn't. But that's the problem- give someone like that power close to admin-level, and all of a sudden he becomes a real problem."

Akiko shrugged, tugging at a piece of steak that she hadn't bothered to cut. "We'll figure something out. There are over a dozen of us; he can't delete us all."

Ryousuke nodded. "I've always been a bit wary of people like the dot hackers, but I trust you, Sora-kun. I know you and your friends will use that power for the right reasons." He smiled. "Your brother is way out of line. I'm definitely on your side."

Mistral grinned. "Yeah! And like I always say, call on me any time you need my help!" She giggled. "Even if it means I end up burning dinner, I'll come right away!"

Mirei beamed. "Yeah! We're not scared of any C.C. Corp jerks!"

Rie clenched her fist slightly. "Back then… I almost blew it." She smiled, and twirled some pasta on her fork. "But we worked together, and we were able to stop C.C. Corp, and help Zefie out. So don't refuse your friends' help, okay?"

Sora smiled at the others. "Yeah… thanks…" He took another sip of broth. "Too bad I can't enjoy anything else you made tonight, Mistral-chan."

Mistral shrugged. "It's okay. But you'd better make sure to eat a nice meal once you recover, okay?"

Sora chuckled. "I'm looking forward to it."

Akiko leaned against him, still chewing her steak. "I'm just looking forward to you getting better."

Sora laughed. "Well, we're all looking forward to that, Akiko." The meal continued for a long while, as the odd group of people caught up on old times, discussed various news items, and just generally chatted with each other. Eventually, when all the food was gone, Mistral sighed, and declared it bedtime for both Mirei and Sora. Mirei pouted, but ran off to her room, while Rie, Mistral, and Ryousuke left the room one-by-one. Mistral, the last one out, giggled and turned off the lights. "Behave yourselves, you two," she said softly. "After all, you're too sick to be exerting yourself, Sora-kun."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Mistral-chan, I'm a guest here. Of course I'm not going to do anything untoward." Mistral giggled and left the room.

Akiko smiled, and began moving under the blankets as she changed for bed. "Darn it… I was going to try and tempt you into asking me." She sighed as Sora pulled her against him. "Oh, well… this is certainly good enough. Good night, Sora."

Sora sighed. "You too, Akiko." He smiled as she moved over and lay on top of him. "Nice… I won't be chilled tonight." He yawned, letting the warmth of her body soothe him to sleep.

Author's Notes: Whoops... thought I'd posted this one back on Wednesday... anyway, not much to say about this chapter. It's really just a chance for me to bring a bunch of characters back together for a reunion, and to show a bit more of Sora's past with the old crowd of dot hackers.


	27. Holy Palace Finals

The next day, Sora had recovered markedly, and Mistral allowed him to get up and move around for a bit. That afternoon, he logged into "The World" again, with Akiko watching on her own M2D, to watch the championship match of the Holy Palace Tournament. As Haruko, he made his way through the crowds, somewhat slower than usual. The announcer was ranting in full swing, as usual, but although usually he would laugh at the man's antics, today Haruko barely heard him. All his attention was focused on the two groups on the Arena floor. Sirius was already there, flanked by his mysterious companions. He sneered around at the crowds, clearly impatient to fight.

A shimmer of light appeared at the other end of the arena, and Haseo warped in, a grim look on his face. He stepped forward, watching Sirius carefully as he drew out his twin blades.

Haruko gasped. "Of course…" He shook his head. "Shino-chan…"

Akiko blinked. "Shino?"

Haruko nodded. "Yeah. Those twin blades… they were a gift from Alkaid to him. But months ago, before everything with AIDA began, Shino-chan gave him the exact same weapon. Lit Honeysuckle…"

Akiko caught her breath. "Honeysuckle…"

Below, two more lights shimmered, and Endrance and Kuhn appeared, flanking Haseo. Akiko gasped. "Kuhn? What's he doing there?"

Haruko shrugged. "He's Haseo-kun's friend, remember? He probably decided to come and help him out. With the guild in the shape it's probably in, he wouldn't be able to do much good anyway."

Akiko shrugged. "I guess…" She shook her head. "I was hoping he'd be willing to take over First Unit, though. I mean, Hiruma-san can't, because he's in Third Unit, and Mirage is… well, you know."

Haruko rubbed his chin. "What about Fata-chan? She's proven herself strong."

Akiko shook her head again. "No good. She's strong, but people wouldn't follow her." She sighed. "Besides, she's only ten. I don't want to burden her with such a big task. She's better suited to helping the others."

Sora smiled, and pecked her on the cheek. "Spoken like a true leader, Akiko-taicho."

Akiko giggled. "That's sweet… but I'm not a captain anymore." She focused on her screen. "It's starting."

Haruko looked down as the match began. Haseo charged forwards, going straight for Sirius. He frowned. "That might not be good…"

"No, it's a fine idea," Zefie said from beside him.

Haruko jerked back as he saw her. "Zefie-chan? What are you doing here?"

Zefie stared down at the battle. "The real ones are here. And also, I wanted to make sure everything goes smoothly."

Haruko blinked. "Smoothly? What's going on?"

Zefie sighed. "Remember the whole thing with Birdbrain missing her Avatar? Guess whose AIDA stole it." She pointed. "Ironically, our fox acts like a wolf, and that wolf acts like a fox."

Haruko took a moment to pick apart her statement. "Akiko's a wolf now? Coming from you, that sounds like a compliment."

Zefie grinned widely. "It is. Is she listening to this?"

Akiko switched on her mike. "Yeah, I am. Why?"

Zefie nodded. "What you did for Haruko… thanks. And I guess I was wrong about you."

Haruko blinked. "Uh…"

Akiko smiled. "The moment I first took in AIDA, Zefie confronted me about it. We had an argument, and walked away without resolving anything. I guess it's resolved now, though."

Zefie nodded. "You put AIDA to good use, even though it almost made you a Lost One. I'm… I'm honestly impressed. I didn't think any human had the strength to control AIDA. Not even Haruko."

Akiko reached over and tapped a button on Sora's controller, forcing Haruko into a bow. "I'm flattered."

Haruko continued to watch the battle. "So… the AIDA that infected Sirius-dono is the same one that stole Atoli's Morganna Factor? Then… why didn't you tell me?"

Zefie remained silent for a moment, and continued to watch the fight. "We needed to deal with King Poochy and his fake Azure Knights at the same time. The Arena battles provided the perfect place for that. And besides, Cat-hair was going to reach him anyway. There wasn't any need to trouble you with yet another burden, so I didn't."

Haruko grit his teeth. "But I promised Atoli I would help her find it!"

Zefie shrugged. "You tried. I know exactly why you went personally to every single AIDA incursion- to search for that one AIDA. But now, G.U. found it first. There's nothing to be upset about there."

Down below, both of Sirius' companions were stumbling, low on hit points, and Haseo was continuing to whale away at the Emperor himself. Sirius growled and leapt back. "I won't let you take 'it' away from me!" he howled, and black circles bubbled up from him.

Zefie nodded. "Here it comes. If you really want to help, be ready in case he fails. We can't afford to lose this chance, so if it comes to that, you'll have to summon Gemini and destroy AIDA-Oswald yourself."

Haruko nodded, watching as Haseo summoned Skeith and charged at his enemy. "Got it. But… Oswald? Is that a new type of AIDA?"

Zefie nodded grimly. "A lot of unique AIDA have begun appearing, besides the ones that the Disciples possess." She glanced at Haruko. "And speaking of them, don't worry about Yuki. I'm keeping a close eye on her."

Haruko blinked. "No nickname?"

Zefie giggled. "Nope. I like her; she reminds me of Mirelle."

Haruko looked at Skeith as it finished materializing. "Hey… does it look different to you?"

Zefie nodded. "The Avatar changes with the player. Look… he's Third Form now, see?"

Haruko looked, and nodded. In the center of Skeith, yelling in fury, was Haseo as he remembered him best; a tall, grey-haired figure in black armor, covered with many ridges (earning him the nickname of the "spiky Adept Rogue") and edged in bright red. A long "tail" of decorative armor plates that oddly resembled a spine hung from his shoulders, and a wicked-looking scythe blazed in his hand.

Skeith had changed, too. The primal monster that Haruko remembered from seven years ago was gone, replaced by a more cultured-looking creature. It was still decidedly alien, and its joints were spiked, but gold was now a fairly major color in its creation, in addition to the usual black and red. It wore a white, three-eyed mask edged in gold, and a golden circle floated above its back, with small strips reminiscent of six wings coming out of it. As if to offset this almost seraphic figure, a pair of red strips of data extended from its head, clearly suggesting horns. Like Haseo, the creature clutched a powerful scythe, and it was currently slicing powerfully into the side of AIDA-Oswald with that scythe.

A brief but pitched battle soon followed. Oswald struck with many powerful multi-laser attacks, but Skeith was able to nimbly dodge all of them, and whenever Oswald left an opening, Skeith darted in and drove powerful combination attacks with its scythe deep into the eel-like AIDA's side. After a few minutes, the barrier shattered. Haseo grinned triumphantly, and Skeith thrust out its arm, forming its usual cannon. The Data Drain slammed into the enemy and tore it away, leaving behind Sirius, who slumped to the ground, exhausted, and a shimmering sphere of light.

Haruko looked at it. "That's…"

Zefie caught his arm. "Haruko, quick! Make sure it gets back to her, and safely!"

Haruko nodded. "Right." He held out his arm, and the bracelet began to shine. Zefie laid her hand on his, and under their direction, a shimmering shell of energy formed around the Morganna Factor and guided it swiftly towards Atoli.

To Haruko's surprise, the ball zipped past his ear and landed a few rows up. He turned in time to see Atoli gasp in shock as the ball entered her. A soft light played around her arm for a moment, and she lifted it to look at it.

Zefie smiled. "Good. It's back." She pointed down. "Watch for a second."

Meanwhile, Haseo and the others were staring at the false Azure Knights. AIDA bubbled around them, and they began to stride purposely forward.

Before they could reach their targets, however, the air in front of them shimmered, and the true Azure Balmung and Azure Orca shot past their doubles. Each struck a single blow, and the doubles wavered and burst into black dots.

Haruko grinned. "That's better. Now… all that's left is Atoli." He frowned. "But how do we know if she's all right?"

Zefie rolled her eyes. "Dummy gaijin. You've already seen proof."

Haruko looked up at Atoli again, who was still gazing at her arm. "Huh?"

It took a moment to sink in. Atoli's arm had been paralyzed by the attack… but she had just lifted it to examine it! Haruko broke into a wide grin and ran to her side. "Atoli! Are you really okay now?"

Atoli smiled. "I… I sure am, Oniichan!" She giggled as he hugged her. "I'm glad to see you again. I missed you while you were away…"

Haruko blinked. "That's right… this is the first time we've seen each other since the second match." He hugged her even more tightly. "Oh, Atoli…"

Atoli laid her head on his shoulder. "Feeling better now?"

Haruko sighed. "Maybe… But losing Alkaid was a real blow."

Atoli tensed. "I'm so sorry about that… After all, Bordeaux was infected during the AIDA server incident… and that was all because I was careless and got my AIDA stolen…"

Haruko shrugged. "I'm not blaming you for it, Atoli. Bordeaux could have picked that up anywhere. And even if it was during the incident, how could I be angry at you? You're my sister, remember?" He chuckled. "And even if you weren't, you know I can't be angry with a cute girl for long."

Atoli giggled. "True…" She relaxed in his arms. "I really am sorry, though."

Haruko smiled. "I'm just glad that you're finally healed, after all this nonsense." He nodded. "Now, let's go down and see Haseo-kun and the others."

Zefie tugged his arm. "They're still down there. Look."

Haruko looked. Haseo, Kuhn, and Endrance now were looking at Sirius, who was struggling to his feet. He stared around, and then began to talk, but Haruko simply wasn't interested, until he heard Alkaid's name mentioned. He paused.

Sirius stared at his three opponents. "What happened to Alkaid?"

Endrance gazed calmly at him. "Alkaid… became a sacrifice… When you lost control… she was sacrificed… to AIDA…"

Sirius stared. "No… that can't be…" He gripped his head and howled in anguish.

Haruko turned away. "Let's go…"

Atoli nodded, and the two warped out. Zefie remained, looking down at Sirius for a while, until the other three had left. As Sirius began to weep softly, alone on the Arena floor, Zefie sighed and vanished as well.

Down below, Atoli dashed ahead as Haseo exited the Arena, and began talking animatedly to the whole group. Haruko hung back, watching her with a sad smile on his face. Eventually, Atoli left for something else, and Haruko walked forward towards the others. Kuhn blinked. "Hey… Haruko!"

Haseo snorted. "Well, well… it took you long enough. So, I guess I won this race, eh?"

Kuhn shot him a look. "Hey! Haseo, cut that out!"

Haruko smiled. "Atoli was healed. That's all that matters to me."

Haseo smirked. "Of course. It's clear how much she matters to you, after you keep vanishing for long tracts of time while she was hurt and scared."

Haruko ignored him. "Kuhn… You're not quitting the Guardians, are you?"

Kuhn grinned. "Of course not. But Haseo needed my help, so…" He nodded. "By the way… do you have any idea what those bizarre players were that appeared at the end of the match? I don't get it…"

Haruko paused. "I… I do know that they were the real versions of those AIDA creations that were fighting alongside Sirius-dono…"

Haseo frowned. "You know what they are, don't you?" His sword flared into existence in his hand. "What's your connection to Tri-Edge?"

Haruko fixed him with a steely glare. "None whatsoever, Haseo-kun. I also want to find him, and destroy him. As for the others, they're AIs under the control of another concerned party. More than that I can't say; nor do I want to say it to you."

Haseo snorted. "You're really making me annoyed now." He left in a huff.

Haruko smiled at Endrance. "So, I see you're back, Endrance-san."

Endrance nodded. "Yes… Haseo came and talked to me… just like you did… He made me see… that I needed to live… and he gave me… a reason to do so…" He gave a soft smile. "I'm glad… that I was able to help him… You were right, Haruko…" He turned and headed off after Haseo, seeming to glide as he walked.

Kuhn smiled. "So, what's next?"

Pi, who had been hovering in the background, frowned. "Now that Haseo's gone, what can you tell us about those AIs?"

Haruko shrugged. "Not much. They're named after two of the dot hackers, who they resemble a fair amount."

Pi nodded. "Right… Balmung and Orca. Is that all you know? Who made them?"

Haruko shook his head. "All I know is that Aura-sama created them as an anti-AIDA measure, but something happened and she wasn't able to complete them."

Kuhn frowned. "And Tri-Edge?"

Haruko nodded. "We call him Azure Kite. He's on our side now; at least, we think he is. Aura-sama created him as well, but it looks like he was either corrupted by AIDA, or went haywire because of a coding problem." He paused. "That's if it's the real Tri-Edge, but that seems less and less likely the more Zefie-chan looks at the code."

Pi nodded. "I see… And this 'Zefie' controls them, right?"

Haruko nodded. "Right."

A hand fell on his shoulder. "Still working with vagrant AIs, eh?" Adam spun Haruko around to face him. His new executive PC was tall, in a dark blue robe and a pointed hood. "I saw what you did back there at the Arena, with that bracelet. As an executive of C.C. Corp…"

Haruko glared at him. "Stuff it. I don't care what you say; I'm not going to be cowed by you."

Adam's eyes blazed. "And if I decide to have your guild stripped and its members placed under suspicion of illegal activities?"

Haruko shrugged. "What guild? I resigned as Guildmaster a few days ago."

Kuhn stared. "What?"

Haruko sighed. "There won't be any more mistakes. No more Alkaids. I'm not letting the others fight AIDA anymore."

Adam sneered. "You're not going to escape that easily, Michael. Even if you abandon the guild, it won't avoid their prosecution."

Kuhn stepped forward. "More like persecution."

Pi glared. "You're way out of line. As members of G.U. and C.C. Corp, we're not going to stand by and let you do this."

Haruko locked eyes with his older brother. "Buzz off, 'Oniisan'. You will not stop me, no matter what you do."

Adam chuckled darkly. "I think I will. Your fatal flaw is that you care too much, Michael, and I'll exploit that to destroy you easily. As for G.U., well, you'll be singing a different tune soon enough, I think." He smiled, and vanished.

Kuhn sighed. "Man… how do you put up with him?"

Haruko continued glaring at the space that Adam had vacated. "I don't have a choice. After all, like it or not he is my big brother."

Pi frowned. "What did he mean about us 'singing a different tune'? I don't like the sound of that…"

Haruko sighed. "He's an executive now, and as such, he can harass us to no end. He's going to pick apart the guild if I'm not careful."

Kuhn sighed. "Yeah… Are you really resigning? Who's going to lead in your place? I mean, we already know about Akiko becoming a Lost One…"

Akiko giggled through the microphone. "I'm not, actually. I'm right here. My character got trashed, though."

Kuhn leapt back. "Whoa… Akiko's a girl?" He grinned.

Pi gave him a withering look. "Don't even think about it."

Akiko laughed. "I'm not available, 'Kuhnie', so listen to Pi. I've already got my Sora right here, so your charms won't have any effect."

Kuhn gave Haruko a thumbs-up. "Nice… Well, I'll see you later. I may not be able to lead, since I'm joining up with G.U. again, but call on me any time you need some extra power, or even a spare Avatar. I'll be there in a flash."

Pi gave a small smile. "I suppose the same goes for me, although I warn you, I'm usually very busy."

Haruko grinned. "I'll keep that in mind." As the other two left, he nodded, and turned back to the Arena.

A minute later, he was inside. Sirius was still there, slumped down, but he looked up at Haruko's approach. "Oh… it's you…" He bowed his head. "Take whatever revenge you desire. I deserve it."

Haruko came closer. "I'm not here for revenge, Sirius-dono."

Sirius shook his head. "You don't have to hold back. I know…" He looked up. "Alkaid had total confidence in me. She confided her feelings for you to me a long time ago. And of course, your own feelings for her have been apparent."

Haruko nodded. "Naturally. You two were fairly close, after all."

Sirius grit his teeth. "And because of my foolishness, Bordeaux was infected, and through that, I am responsible for what happened to her. Because of me, you've lost someone you love. I am prepared to accept whatever retribution you deem fit."

Haruko smiled gently. "Then stand up. And then, forget this nonsense about retribution. You know what form that would take, if I let it, and neither of us wants to go down that road." He extended his hand. "I know what it feels like. You want to escape, to die if you can. I felt the same way. But that's not the answer, is it?"

Sirius reluctantly took his hand. "No… It's not…" He stared. "You're really not going to kill me?"

Haruko shook his head. "No. You aren't at fault here. AIDA is."

Sirius grit his teeth. "I should have been able to stop it, though!"

Akiko's voice filtered in. "Even I couldn't fully control it, Sirius. I lost my hard-made character and nearly fell into a coma because of it. And if it had gone any farther, even Sora might not have been safe."

Sirius' eyes widened. "Akiko…"

Haruko smiled. "Here's your punishment, if you still want it, Sirius-dono." He gazed around. "I always wondered if we should come to try and take the Holy Palace. I think I was right to keep us in the Demon Palace, until Alkaid unseated us, but I always wondered how we would have done. So…"

Akiko blinked. "What are you talking about?"

Haruko grinned. "Here's the punishment. You have to fight Akiko, playing as me, in a one-on-one match. It'll settle that question once and for all."

Sirius blinked. "Where's the punishment in that?"

Sora laughed as he handed the controller to Akiko. "Simple. If you lose- and you will- you'll have lost to a _girl_. That's punishment enough for me."

Akiko punched him on the arm. "Okay, ready, Sirius?"

Sirius gave a small smile. "Ready."

Sora grinned. "Then fight!" The two PCs charged, and began a battle that dragged on, becoming a long series of battles fought over hours of time. Sora watched it all, smiling as he watched Akiko battle Sirius over and over again.

Author's Notes: Another thing I love doing that this story gives me the ability to do is to look at events from G.U. from another perspective. It allows there to be a greater depth to both the games and my story. In any case, I like the idea of Haruko and Sirius fighting, even though it's technically an Akiko vs. Sirius fight. I don't think I'll actually tell the result; after all, it doesn't really need to be said. All that matters is the two former Emperors clash against each other.


	28. Blade's Memories

Later that evening, Sora lay with his head nestled in Akiko's lap. His fever had peaked a few hours ago, and Mistral had proclaimed that he should be fine for school on Monday. Akiko was playing with various parts of Sora's face; tugging his ear, stroking his hair, stretching his mouth, and so on. Despite the fact that this was something that usually would torment the most stoic of people, Sora found the process oddly relaxing, and merely settled deeper into her lap as she fooled around.

Eventually, he gently pushed her hand away. "Okay, Akiko… now it's starting to hurt."

Akiko smiled. "Sorry." She looked down at him as he lay in her lap.

Sora opened his eyes and grinned up at her. "By the way, I've been wondering something…" His grin widened. "Yesterday, you said, 'I haven't seen you so beautiful since that time.' What time was that?"

Akiko laughed softly. "It was the first time you and I met. Remember?" She gave a happy sigh. "And maybe, just maybe, it was at that time I first fell in love with you."

Sora smiled. "I remember that. The kendo demonstration, right?"

Akiko nodded. "That's right. Three years back, Sakata-sensei came to my school, along with a group of his students. And you were one of them."

_Akiko looked at the newcomers with some interest, but kept her arms coolly crossed. She doubted that many of them were serious about swordsmanship. Few people shared her passion these days._

_A few of the boys kept glancing her way, and she groaned inwardly. Just like last time, they were going to end up tripping over themselves to try and impress her, and ruin the demonstration. Their sensei, Sakata, seemed to share her annoyance. He drew out his shinai and glared at the offending students. All the students quailed under his gaze, with a single exception. A young man standing near the center merely smiled and raised his shinai slightly._

_He turned to the crowd, eyebrows raised as if to say, "What's everyone looking at?" Akiko blinked. There was something about his soft grey eyes that made him look almost handsome… She shook her head violently. Handsome or not, he was just another boy, and like everyone else, he would only see her cute face and treat her as such._

_Sakata turned to the others. "All right, then. Everyone, I am Sakata Jin, the head of the Tenken Kaze-ryu kendo dojo. At the request of your teachers, as well as the captain of the school's fencing team…" Here he had to pause, as a round of cheering went up. Akiko smiled slightly, but it evaporated when one of the boys clapped her on the back. Sakata cleared his throat. "At their request, I and some of my students have come here to give you all a demonstration in kenjutsu." He turned. "Kapalo Sora-kun and... Master Clint…" He shook his head, obviously annoyed at having to address someone by the Western style. "These boys are two of my most promising students. They will demonstrate the skills of a _sankyu_ student."_

_Akiko nodded. __That meant the boys would be pretty skilled; Akiko herself was still at the lowest rank, _rokkyu_._

_Clint Worthing stepped forward, and flashed Akiko a dazzling smile. She groaned, recognizing him as a first-year high school student who was constantly trying to catch her eye. The blonde-haired Brit had moved to Japan with his family a few years prior, and most of the girls were by now after him. Akiko, however, had ignored his advances._

_The other boy, Sora, stepped forward, and Akiko was surprised to see it was the grey-eyed boy from earlier. Without a glance at the audience, he donned his mask and bowed to Clint. "Keep your thoughts on the match, Clint-kun," he said calmly. "If you're distracted, I'll wipe you out in an instant."_

_Clint gave him a haughty sneer. "Keep dreaming." He donned his own mask and flourished his shinai._

_Sora rolled his eyes. "This isn't fencing. Come on, and I'll remind you of how to use a shinai!" He raised his own shinai to the ready position and waited for Sakata's signal._

_An instant later, it was given, and he lunged forward, striking a glancing blow to Clint's head before the other boy could even move. Everyone stared, including Sakata. From where Akiko was standing, she could see Sora's face behind his mask, and she was struck once again by his face. A wide grin had spread across it, and his eyes sparkled. For a moment, Akiko thought she would get lost in them._

_Then the moment passed. Akiko forced herself once again to ignore his beauty, and to stop even thinking that word, and Sora shrugged and turned back. "Oops… I think I missed."_

_Sakata shook his head. "You hit him, even if it was glancing… but you forgot to call out the strike again!"_

_Sora rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, sensei… It's just so hard to keep all nine strikes straight in my mind."_

_Sakata sighed, and muttered something about scatterbrained Americans. "All right, try it again!"_

_Clint nodded, and charged at Sora. His opponent stepped nimbly back to avoid the downswing, and then thrust his blade swiftly forward. The air itself hissed in the strike's wake, and Clint yelped and jumped backwards._

_Sora chuckled. "Too easy, Clint-kun," he said calmly, and repeated his earlier lunge. This time, as he passed, he shouted out, "_Men_!"_

_Sakata raised his arm. "Head strike! Point and victory to Sora-kun!"_

_Akiko stared as Sora pulled his mask off and tucked it under one arm. "How was that, Sakata-sensei?"_

_Sakata nodded gruffly. "Your attitude could stand to be less wild, but I can't fault your technique very much." His eyes flickered. "But what was that nonsense with the thrust?"_

_Sora smiled. "I was deliberately aiming wide and over his shoulder. I know I can't actually hit him, but the point was to scare him into thinking I was, and create an opening that way."_

_Sakata snorted. "Very well, but don't do it again. What if you had missed and struck him directly in the throat?"_

_Sora blinked. "Oh… Good point. I didn't think of that." He turned to Clint, who had removed his own mask and come up to him. "Sorry about that."_

_Clint shrugged. "I doubt that would have happened. You didn't even come close." He smiled, and flicked a lock of his hair back in a way that made several of the girls sigh as if they were about to swoon. "The way I see it, you've got nothing to apologize for. You won, fair and square."_

_Akiko groaned inwardly, even as one of the girls near her went ahead and actually did swoon. Clint was in full chivalrous form today, attracting female attention with barely any effort._

_Sora shrugged. "True enough. It's nice of you to be polite about it." He turned. "So, anybody here think they can give me a bit more of a challenge?" he asked, grinning._

_Akiko snorted. _Poser,_ she thought. But a moment later, a low chant began to break out. Akiko stared at the other kendo club members as they all looked to her. "_Taicho! Taicho!"_ they chanted._

_Sora grinned. "Well, they're all calling for the captain, so come on and show me what you've got!" He gazed around. "Um… which one of you is the captain?"_

_Akiko stepped forward. "Here."_

_Sora grinned and shaded his eyes with his hand. "What, behind that cute blonde girl?" He chuckled. "I'm only kidding. Well, let's see what you've got."_

_Akiko grit her teeth. "Fine. But don't be shocked when I knock you flat on your back."_

_Sora grinned and slid his helmet on. "Sure. Come on, then!"_

_Akiko frowned as she put on her helmet. Something seemed strange about this boy… She pushed the thought away and readied her shinai. "Let's go!"_

_Sakata gave the signal, and Sora advanced on her, more slowly than he had against Clint. Akiko waited calmly. _He'll try and hit me with a little soft strike, so he doesn't hurt me… but once he does, I'll counter before he can recover._ She grit her teeth. "Come on, attack me!"_

_Sora smiled. "As you wish." He swung his blade laterally at her._

_The moment Akiko blocked, she realized what was wrong. Sora had put all his force behind that swing, and the power of it nearly broke through her guard. She stepped hastily back. _He… he actually attacked me!

_Sora chuckled. "You thought I was going to go easy on you, didn't you? Sorry, but even though you're cute, I don't hold back for anyone."_

_Akiko smiled. "Well, well… That's just how I like it!" She charged and swung her own blade with all her strength._

_Sora swung up his own blade, but was only barely able to block it. He grinned wildly. "Wow, you're really strong! This is going to be fun!"_

_Akiko snorted. "Stronger than I look, huh? That's not hard to pull off." She broke the clash and launched a series of power strikes that made Sora slowly back towards the edge of the mat._

_As he reached the edge, deftly blocking each strike, he frowned. "That's not what I said, or what I thought." His eyes locked on Akiko's for a second, and she squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze. For an instant, she had the sensation that he could see every turbulent feeling in her mind. She roared and swung down._

_Then, the sensation was gone, and so was Sora. Before she could react, he had sidestepped and moved behind her and to her right. She looked back at him, dumbfounded. He smiled, and tapped her gently on top of her head. "_Men_," he said in a sing-song voice._

_Sakata nodded. "Point and victory."_

_Akiko jerked off her mask with a scowl. "Darn it!"_

_Sora's face was smiling under his mask. "Don't worry too much about it. You were actually pretty good. You fight with a lot of emotion, and that's good; you just let it get away from you this time."_

_Akiko stared at him. "What's with you, anyway? I've never met a boy who acted anything like you."_

_Sora smiled kindly. "Yeah… you were expecting someone like Clint-kun." He motioned to where Clint was busy talking and showing off for a small knot of girls. "You deal with guys like that a lot, don't you?"_

_Akiko groaned. "Don't get me started on him." She turned her back. "And don't get started with me. You're all the same. To you, I'm just another pretty face."_

_Sora raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You're cute, certainly, but anyone can see you're strong. After all, you're the one everyone else called for when I asked for an opponent, remember?" He patted her shoulder gently._

_Akiko flinched away from him. "Don't touch me," she growled._

_Sora blinked, his eyes clouded with confusion. The thought that he looked cute like that crossed Akiko's mind, but she shoved it away. Sora nodded. "Sorry. When I try to be friendly, sometimes I go too far without meaning to."_

_Akiko snorted. "Is that how you explain it to the other girls you do that to?"_

_Sora smiled. "Yep! It's the truth, after all."_

_Clint appeared beside them and chuckled. "What are you up to now, Sora-kun? Akiko-chan's not going to be an easy catch. I've had my eye on her for a while, but she's too stubborn." He grinned. "Are you going to try and get her to go out with you first?"_

_Sora laughed. "Dating isn't a competition, Clint-kun. But, then again, this is me we're talking about." His eyes sparkled. "Watch me pull it off without even trying."_

_Akiko turned. "Enough. I'm tired of hanging around you boys."_

_Clint caught her shoulder. "Hey, now… You're always tired of hanging around me. Stay a little longer, eh?"_

_Sora pulled Clint's hand away. "Leave her alone. If she wants to go, she can go." He paused. "But Akiko-san, how would you like to join the dojo? We could use a strong-willed kid like you in the ranks." Behind his hand, he whispered, "We keep getting creamed in the big tournament in the spring and fall."_

_Sakata came over and glared at Sora. "Absurd! I'm not going to let her join up!"_

_Sora turned. "Why not?" he asked. "She's got a lot of potential."_

_Sakata grit his teeth. "But she's a little girl still! No teenage girl is going to enter my dojo while I'm still the master!"_

_Sora snorted. "Who cares if she's a kid still? She's got a lot more talent than some of these clods you brought with us." He grinned tightly. "And I'll be the master someday, so maybe you should be careful about how you're going to be remembered!"_

_Sakata's eyes flared. "Is that a challenge, boy? I'd destroy you in an instant!"_

_Sora nodded. "As I am now, you probably would. But that'll change one day."_

_Akiko shook her head. "No… forget it, Kapalo-san. He's not going to change his mind. After all, I'm still a middle-schooler, and a girl at that."_

_Sora turned and smiled at her. "Well… if you're not going to become my fellow student, I at least hope I can settle for having you as a rival. I'm looking forward to the day you beat me."_

_Akiko blinked. "Rival?"_

_Sora grinned. "Yeah! After all, there's no way for two people to get stronger quicker than for them to constantly test each other, right?" He held out his hand._

_Akiko smiled. "Okay, Sora-san. Rivals it is!" She took his hand and shook it. This time, when he smiled and she saw how beautiful it was, she let herself think it._

Akiko sighed. "We were rivals ever since that day. It's been a wild ride, hasn't it?"

Sora grinned up at her. "You've got that right." He chuckled. "You fell in love with me even back then? Sorry about that… I should have asked you out months ago."

Akiko smiled. "Yeah… you should have. But I should have asked you first." She paused. "Maybe… no… not yet."

Sora shrugged. "You can ask me anything, Akiko. What's up?"

Akiko shook her head. "You'll say no. There's no point."

Sora smiled. "There's always a point." He sighed. "I'll let it go for now, but tell me soon, okay? Anyway, I wanted to ask something."

Akiko gulped. "Oh?"

Sora nodded. "That Dark Avatar you used to protect me from Aquarios. Its name… wasn't it Itou?"

Akiko blanched. "Yeah… I mean, I don't know why. It just came to me, when I summoned it, that that's what its name was."

Sora grinned. "You really looked up to him, didn't you?"

Akiko sighed. "Yeah… After all, he was a high-ranking _shotokan_ master. He was one of the strongest people I ever knew; even stronger than you, Sora."

Sora nodded. "I bet he was…" he said kindly. "I wish I'd met him."

Akiko smiled. "You two would have gotten along great. He was a lot like you; kind and gentle, but an unstoppable force in battle." She sighed. "In those days, I thought he was invincible. Even while we were at the hospital, waiting while they operated on him, I wasn't scared at all. I knew he was going to be all right." She sniffed. "But then… then the nurses came out. Even my invincible father couldn't survive the crash."

Sora sat up. "Akiko… are you okay?"

Akiko nodded. "I'm fine. Lie back down." She patted her lap gently.

Sora gazed calmly at her. "You're worried that maybe I'll end up being not so invincible after all, right?" He smiled. "I think your father would be proud of how his daughter has grown up."

Akiko sighed. "Yeah… maybe…"

Sora nodded. "So, is that why you turned to kendo? To carry on his strength?"

Akiko shook her head. "Not at all. It's like you've always thought; I took up sports because I was sick of all the boys gawking at me. I wanted to become strong, so I could be recognized for my strength first and beauty long after that."

Sora chuckled. "I should have known." He came closer to her, and gently brushed his lips across her brow. "Even so… you've inherited his spirit. I know it. That's why your Avatar bears his name."

Akiko tensed. "Sora…" she sniffed, and slumped against him.

Sora paused. "But… why did you do that in the first place, Akiko? Why would you take such a huge risk?"

Akiko pressed her ear against his chest. _For this,_ she thought, and then said, "I wanted to protect you, Sora. Remember?" She sighed. "And for one more reason… I wanted to stand beside you again, like we used to."

Sora blinked. "Huh?"

Akiko hugged him and murmured softly, "Ever since you got your hands on Gemini, you've been taking everything on yourself, and shutting the others out. You've been so far above me, our rivalry stopped meaning anything. I wanted us to be able to fight side-by-side again, instead of me endlessly supporting you like you were some sort of superweapon, instead of my boyfriend and my rival." She kissed him briefly. "I want us to stand side-by-side, always, in everything. No secrets, no hiding our pain from each other… no difference between us."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "No secrets, eh?"

Akiko giggled. "I was getting to that." She paused, and then, forcing herself on, she said, "I… I want to marry you." She reached into her pocket and drew out a slim silver band.

Sora stared at it. "You got it… That time, when you bought me the necklace, you actually got the ring, too?"

Akiko shook her head. "No… I thought about what Renée-san said, and I decided she was right. So, the next day, I went back and got it." She held it up to him. "I… I won't ask you yet, because I know you're still torn between the three of us. But, will you hold on to it for me for a while?" She blushed, and added, "You don't have to wear it, of course… but I want you to have it. It's my promise, that one day I really am going to propose to you. Until then…"

Sora took the ring from her, and held it to the light. "It's beautiful," he murmured softly. The band was plain silver, but its surface was gently curved, and a round moonstone was set in the center of it. He held the ring above one finger for a moment, and then with a decisive movement he slipped it on. Holding it up to the light, he smiled and said, "What do you think?"

Akiko giggled. "If we do get married, I'm going to force you to use that as your wedding ring."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Then I'll make sure to pick out one especially for you," he quipped. "But how does it look on me?"

Akiko hugged him tightly. "It looks wonderful," she said. "It matches your eyes really well. And I think silver really suits you."

Sora laughed. "I bet it does." He lay back, still holding on to her, and said, "I can't wear it in front of Shizuka, of course, but I'll wear it around all day tomorrow, okay?"

Akiko giggled, and reached for the covers. "Okay," she said, her eyes sparkling. "That'll be fun. I can show off my 'husband' to the whole family here."

Sora poked her in the stomach, and she let out a giggle as she began to change. "What'll Ayako-san say, though?" he asked, slipping off his shirt.

Akiko popped back up, and ran one hand down his cheek. "We'll have to wait until next weekend to find that out." She sighed, and curled up against his chest. "It'll be fun, I bet," she added.

Sora laughed, and began to stroke her back. "Of course it will."

Author's Notes: A fair amount here to cover; for once, I'm going to have to explain terminology. First of all, the kendo ranking system. There are six _kyu_ ranks and eight _dan_ ranks, though very few people ever attain the supreme rank of _hachidan_. The system is similar to the belt system in karate; think of the _dan_ ranks as being like the ten degrees of blackbelts, and the _kyu_ ranks as the colored and white belts. Also, note that the _kyu_ ranks are done in reverse order, with sixth _kyu_ being lowest and first being highest. Sora and Clint, then, are third _kyu_,an intermediate rank, while Akiko is the lowest, _rokkyu._

Also on the subject of _kendo_, we have the strikes. There are nine fundamental strikes in _kendo_, defined by the area of the body struck. Sora uses the _men_, or head strike, for his bouts here. He also uses a _tsuki_ strike, the only thrusting strike, against Clint, though it doesn't connect. In kendo, it is required to call out the name of your strike as you make it, or else the point does not count. (This is why, when Yutaro trains at the Kamiya Dojo in one episode of Rurouni Kenshin, he shouts "_Men_!" about fifty million times.)

And, to anyone who's interested, there's no actual Tenken Kaze-ryu sword school. The name, translated from the kanji I envisioned it written with, is something like, "Sword of the Heavenly Wind Style". (Well, the kanji are "heaven", "sword", and "wind", and of course the -ryu suffix means "sword style".) As for _shotokan_, that is an actual school of karate that I intend to take this semester... if I can find time...

Anyway, following this, there are only five chapters left, plus whatever omake I might manage to cook up for this. Still trying to pick one out. Those who've played the game will remember, after all, that the game didn't end right after the Holy Palace finals...


	29. Call to Action

The next day passed without much incident. Rie, Mistral, and Mirei took it in turns to stare almost enviously at Sora's ring, and Sora himself was finally up and around, without a trace of illness. Akiko, as well, despite her long and very close proximity to Sora, had absolutely no symptoms. That night, they both bid Mistral and the whole family farewell, and headed back to their own homes. Sora sighed happily as he opened the door to his room.

Instantly, a blur of motion catapulted out of the open door and tackled him in a bone-crushing hug. "So-chan!" called a high voice. "You're finally home!"

Sora grinned ruefully. "Hey, Shizuka," he said. "_Tadaima…_ and sorry to worry you."

Shizuka giggled. "_Okaeri_," she said softly, completing the traditional exchange. "And I'm sure you'll find a way to make up for worrying me."

Sora leaned forward and kissed her warmly. "Like that?"

Shizuka replied by planting her feet on the ground, lifting Sora over her shoulder, and carrying him into the room, hanging bemusedly like a sack of potatoes. She turned to the bed. "We'll figure out something," she said, with a wicked grin on her face.

Sora rolled his eyes. "Oh?" He pointed to the bag on the ground. "Can we sleep in that instead, though?"

Shizuka nodded. "Sure." She pulled it open and slid him gently inside, and then slipped in on top of him. "Comfy?" she asked.

Sora grinned, and pulled the bag tightly around them. "Now I am."

Shizuka giggled and slumped gently against him. "I'm glad you're back," she whispered.

The next day dawned brightly, and Shizuka and Sora reluctantly parted for classes, but by that afternoon, they were reunited and relaxing together. "Hey, So-chan," Shizuka said. "So, are you feeling better now?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

Shizuka giggled. "That's good." She paused. "But, were you really sick? That's what I heard."

Sora smiled. "Only a little bit," he said reassuringly. "And Mistral-chan took good care of me, so I'm fine now."

Shizuka pouted. "And what's all this I hear about Akiko-chan?" she asked, glaring. "You went ahead and spent all your time with her while you were getting better."

Sora raised a finger. "Against my wishes, though. I might have been contagious; none of you should have been so close to me." He grinned and added, "Besides, it was the weekend. In case you've forgotten, that's when she has her turn with me."

Shizuka pouted. "Darn it…" she muttered. "You're right." She looked at him. "But really, I want it to be my turn all the time. The only reason I'm not keeping you all to myself is that I know what it would do to Akiko-chan, and I don't want to put her through that."

Sora hugged her. "I know… I'm sorry. I know it's hurting you both to keep stringing you along like this."

Shizuka smiled. "Yeah, but it's not really your fault. You're too sweet to want to dump one of us." She pecked his cheek, and whispered, "You'll figure it out someday. And you're so fun to be with, I'll be able to last until then."

A moment later, she added, "But… could we do something in the meantime?"

Sora paled. "You're talking about… that?" he whimpered. "Shizuka… I can't. I mean, Akiko…"

Shizuka stroked his cheek. "So-chan, I told you before, I don't care what you do with her. I just want you to do it with me, too." She sighed. "I want to know what it feels like… and, I have to admit that the thought of it is driving me crazy." Her body tensed against his. "I want you…" she said softly. "There, I said it."

Sora held her tightly. "I'm sorry…" he whispered, "But I can't do it."

Shizuka looked into his eyes. "Why, though?" she asked. "I know you like the way I look. And you and I both know it would be a wonderful experience." She giggled. "Are you worried I'll end up like Renée-chan? I wouldn't mind if it happened by accident." She blinked. "Or is it just because of Akiko-chan?"

Sora sighed. "There are a lot of reasons. First, because I know it would really hurt Akiko if I did it with you first, just like it would break your heart to play second fiddle to her. I'm not sure I'm ready to do it with anyone, even you, and even though you're right and it would be fantastic." He looked away. "But the most important thing… is that I'm scared. I'm scared of what it might do to me to actually do this."

Shizuka drew him close and kissed him. "So-chan," she said, "You're worried about losing that innocent nature of yours. And you're worried you'll turn into Amy-chan, am I right?" When Sora nodded, she smiled and said, "But you won't. If anyone should be worried about that, I should be, and I'm not. We're in love, So-chan. This isn't about lust; it's us expressing our love for each other." She gently turned him over and pinned him down.

Sora stared up at her. "Shizuka…"

Shizuka gave him a wide smile. "I won't take you against your will, So-chan. But stop being so scared, and have some fun for a change." She moved closer to him. "Come on… please?"

Sora trembled slightly, but then gave her a slight nod. "I… Okay." He tensed as Shizuka picked playfully at his shirt. "You'll be gentle, right?"

Shizuka giggled, and bent close. "Of course I will," she whispered. "Right now, I couldn't love you any more than I do." She knelt on his legs and took hold of her shirt. "Now, let me show you how much love that is…"

Before she could do anything, though, three loud knocks came on the door. Hiruma burst into the room an instant later. "Sora-kun! There's…" He broke off, bemused. "I'm interrupting something, aren't I?"

Shizuka sighed. "Darn it, Hiruma-kun… I finally got him to agree and everything. I'll never be his lover at this rate." Hiruma began to apologize. "Don't bother," she said, waving her hand. "I'm not mad at you. Although, whoever's responsible for whatever made you interrupt us is going to get it," she added, clenching her fist.

Hiruma chuckled. "You just might get a shot at doing that." He turned to Sora. "It's Atoli," he said softly. "And Moon Tree."

Shizuka gasped, and quickly got off of Sora. "What happened?"

Sora grit his teeth. "It's him, isn't it?"

Hiruma nodded. "Sakaki made his move," he said grimly. "And worse, he's got AIDA on his side. Atoli's being overshadowed, and AIDA-PCs are running amok in the guild's headquarters. Lord Zelkova has already been PKed."

Sora grabbed his M2D from his bedside. "Assemble everyone," he commanded. "We've got to save everyone we can."

Hiruma nodded. "Okay. I've taken temporary command. But will you meet with us, at least? At least take some of the Twilight Guardians with you as party members."

Sora nodded, and slotted his M2D into place. "Fine."

Shizuka smiled at him. "That's my So-chan," she giggled. "You're always jumping back into the fray, no matter what. I'll see you in a minute or two." She giggled again. "And when we've finished… maybe we could finish what we were going to do?"

Sora chuckled nervously. "Well… maybe."

Shizuka kissed his cheek. "I'll be waiting!" she called over her shoulder, as she left the room.

Hiruma nodded to Sora, and took off for his own room. Sora grit his teeth. "Sakaki-san…" he growled. "I told you to keep her out of your little power struggle…"

By the time Haruko reached the guild headquarters, the others had already gathered there. Helio nodded to him. "Good, you're here."

Yuki smiled. "Haruko!" she called. "Glad to see you're not sick anymore!"

Fata caught his hand. "We've all missed you, Master Haruko," she said softly. "Where did you go? I was worried!"

Haruko laid one hand gently on her head. "I got sick for a while. Don't worry; I'm fine now." He sighed. "But, I'm not the 'master' here any longer."

Fata shook her head. "You're always my 'master'," she insisted. "I'll follow you no matter what."

Natsuko giggled. "Yeah! Haruko's the leader, after all!"

Helio stepped forward. "I've already briefed the others. Sakaki's holding Atoli in the throne room, so you should head there." He paused. "But… Sora-kun, I want you to lead us."

Haruko blinked. "Hiruma-kun…" he muttered. "What are you saying?"

Helio clenched his fist. "We've lost far too much recently. Losing Captain Akiko threw the guild into disorder, and you leaving only makes it worse." His voice became hard. "Haruko, we need you to lead us."

Zefie tugged his arm. "Please, Haruko?" she said softly. "They need you."

Haruko smiled. Turning to the others, he said, "Actually… I was hoping that you all would let me." He looked slowly around at everyone. "You guys have been there, every step of the way. I'd be a fool to throw that all away."

Helio broke into a wide smile. "You'll really take back the leadership?"

Haruko nodded. "Yes," he said sternly, "but under one condition. You all have to be careful, and make sure to keep yourselves alive. We've lost too many members over these past few months."

Yuki smiled. "Of course we'll be careful," she said softly. "Besides, you'd break like a twig if something else happened to one of us. We all know that, and we won't let it happen."

Haruko sighed. "I know…" he muttered. "I don't want to lose anyone else."

A soft voice spoke up. "What about me?" Mayako called, stepping forward.

Haruko blinked. "Mayako-san?" he said, confused. "How'd you get in?"

Yuki stepped forward. "She wanted to join," she explained. "I knew you'd be here, so I loaned her a Guild Key and asked her to come."

Haruko rubbed his chin. "Mayako-san…" he said sternly. "This isn't something to play around about. There's very real danger here. Do you understand that?"

Mayako nodded firmly. "Yes," she said.

Haruko nodded. "Then… You're a Harvest Cleric, right?" he asked. "What level are you?"

Mayako blinked. "Um… I'm level 62, but…"

Haruko scratched his temple. "Sixty-two…" he muttered. Then he smiled. "Well, it's not quite as high as most of us, but it's good enough, I think."

Mayako lit up. "Thank you!" she cried out. "And… um…"

Haruko blinked. "What's up?"

Mayako blushed. "Well… I finally finished that 'project' I mentioned all those weeks ago…" she said softly. "I sent it to you… did you see it yet?"

Haruko shook his head. "Your picture? No… I must have missed the e-mail." He grinned, and added, "Well then, you'll have to promise me you'll make it through this, so I can tell you how nice it looks!"

He straightened up, and called out, "All right! Enough waiting around! We move on Moon Tree and Sakaki-san's troops now!"

A cheer went up from the guild. Haruko grinned and went on, "Our first priority is the groups still loyal to Zelkova-sama. He may have been defeated already, but I know that First Unit and Kaede-san's Third Unit will stick by him."

Helio nodded, standing beside him. "Be prepared," he cautioned. "Sakaki's Second Unit, and likely Matsu's and Hiiragi's as well, will definitely be fighting for him. There are a lot of enemies, and worse, some of them might be dear friends."

Haruko grinned. "But don't worry," he reassured the others. "We already know from the last server incident that if we break an AIDA server, everyone who got PKed should come back. So don't be afraid to take down Sakaki-san's troops if need be."

Henako came up. "What's the strategy, then?" she asked.

Haruko shrugged. "We go in, fight who we have to, and rescue the loyal Moon Tree members," he replied. "Meanwhile, I'll find Atoli and save her, and then I'll find Sakaki-san and put an end to AIDA's source."

Henako grinned. "Well, you heard the man!" she called out. "Everyone, form up battle groups! Two support to every combat person! One healer in every group! Be ready!"

Fata clenched her fist. "Let's go, everyone!" she shouted. "We'll bring AIDA to its knees, and save our friends!"

First Unit and Third Unit rallied around her, and Haruko nodded approvingly. "Maybe I should make her First Captain after all," he muttered.

Within minutes, the guild had gathered around the Chaos Gate. Haruko strode to the front. "Now… they've got the place locked down, naturally," he said. "Zefie-chan, could you help us with that?"

Zefie smirked. "Of course, idiot," she said smugly, and laid her hand on the Chaos Gate. "Let's see…"

"Hold it right there!" called out a voice. "Your days of defying the system are over!"

Haruko spun around and groaned. "Great," he muttered. "Like I need another reason to be angry…"

Adam strode forward purposely towards Zefie. "You! Vagrant AI!" he shouted angrily. "What are you doing there?"

Zefie snorted. "Breaking open an AIDA seal, so these idiots can go help Moon Tree," she said, without turning around.

Adam grit his teeth. "As an executive of C.C. Corp, I won't let this stand!" he yelled. "Prepare for…"

Haruko cut him off with a crushing, two-handed sword blow. "Deletion? I don't think so," he said coldly. "Go away. The grown-ups are going to go clean up your messes now."

Fata giggled. "Isn't it funny, how a ten-year old girl is more of a grown-up than this guy?"

Adam glared. "How dare you talk to me like that?" he shouted. "You forget your place, little brother."

Mayako caught her breath. "You're… his brother, Haruko?"

Haruko nodded curtly. "That's right. He's my elder brother, Adam. And it's been seven years since he acted anything like it."

Adam tossed aside his cloak. Underneath, he was clad in some kind of flexible, close-fitting blue armor. "Michael…" he muttered. "You're the one who's acting like a child here." He drew out his weapon, a golden bastard sword. "Stop running around like a fool and take responsibility for your actions!" he howled.

Before he could move, however, a deep voice called out, "Suvi Lei!" and he was suddenly paralyzed by a golden light.

Yata walked slowly up, his eyes fixed on Adam. "That's enough from you," he said calmly. "I already gave Helio the go-ahead for this."

Adam glared at Yata. "How dare you interfere?" he yelled, struggling to move. "I am an executive of the Cyber Connect Corporation!"

Yata returned his glare. "And I am an administrator of "The World". You may not like my decision, but as long as this place is under my administration, you are bound by it." He glanced at the others. "As much as any other player is."

Haruko nodded. "Does G.U. know about Atoli?" he asked.

Yata nodded. "Of course," he replied. "However, we do not have access to the same… shortcuts that you have. The others have gone to breach a Tri-Edge sign at Sif Berg; they'll enter Moon Tree from there, as a second wave."

Haruko grinned. "Good. But, if all goes well, they might not have anything to do."

Yata smiled slightly. "I hope that will be the case," he said softly.

Zefie leapt up and landed lightly on Haruko's head. "It's open, dummy gaijin," she said curtly. "Let's go already."

Haruko rolled his eyes. "As the little lady commands," he quipped, and tapped the Chaos Gate.

Author's Notes: Here we go...


	30. The Moon Tree Raid

The scene inside Moon Tree was one of utter chaos. Bands of Sakaki's rebels were running in every direction, chasing the loyal members of First and Third Units. Haruko charged forward, drawing his sword, and crushed a lone Second Unit member with a single blow. The young loyalist he'd saved sighed with relief and ran for the Chaos Gate.

Haruko nodded to the others. "Spread out!" he called. "Don't let a single one of Zelkova-sama's followers be hurt! Take down whoever you have to!"

Inside the main building, near the warp point, they found Kaede, struggling against a trio of violet-clad Twin Blades. Haruko darted forward and clashed with the party leader. "Shadow," he snarled. "Second-in-command of Sixth Unit. So, your leader Sophora-san has joined Sakaki-san, then?"

Shadow grit his teeth. "The affairs of Moon Tree aren't yours to interfere in, child," he spat. "Sakaki is a far better leader than that childish fool, Zelkova."

Haruko ground his twin blades against his opponent's. "Zelkova-sama made this guild what it is," he said angrily. "And I'll protect his ideals with all I've got." His eyes blazed coldly. "If you've thrown in your lot with Sakaki-san, then there's nothing more to say."

There was a flash of light, Haruko flew past his opponent, and Shadow slumped to the ground and quickly vanished. Haruko turned to see that Kaede had beaten off the other two, and went to her side. "Are you okay, Kaede-san?" he asked softly.

Kaede nodded. "Yes. But, Lord Zelkova…"

Haruko shook his head. "He'll be all right. Is Sakaki-san still in the throne room?"

Kaede looked away. "Yes, but he's sealed it off," she said softly. "You'll have to go through the main guild area…"

Someone cut her off. "No, we won't." Zefie stepped forward, and continued, "I can punch a hole through."

Kaede blinked. "Then…!"

Haruko shook his head. "No way. I'm going alone."

Zefie glared at him. "Don't be stupid," she said. "At least bring me along."

Haruko sighed. "Fine…" he muttered. "But stay out of sight. Sakaki-san's mine."

Zefie nodded, and laid her hand on the warp point. Haruko took hold of her hand and waited. Kaede stared at them. "But… what should I do?" she asked.

Haruko looked kindly at her. "Either make your way out through the Chaos Gate, or join up with the rest of my guild and help evacuate the remaining loyalists. That's what we're here for, after all."

Kaede nodded. "Okay," she said firmly. "I'll go and help protect my unit… and Lord Zelkova's." As Mayako and Natsuko ran through, she ran to join them. Haruko turned back to Zefie, who nodded and pressed her hand slowly into the warp point.

In a flash of light, they appeared in the throne room. The place was very different from how Haruko remembered it. A white void stretched in all directions, and directly behind the two players were rows of desks, arranged as one might see them in a classroom. A shadowy figure sat at one desk, head in its hands. Haruko moved towards it, and then broke into a run as he realized that it was shaped exactly like Atoli.

As he reached it, a loud, mocking laugh echoed through the space. "Looking for someone?" the voice called out.

Haruko spun around. "Not anymore, Sakaki-san," he growled.

Sakaki stood on a flat stone pedestal, surrounded by a small patch where the usual throne room graphics had been preserved. Atoli floated to one side of him, surrounded by black aura. At the sight of her, Haruko let out a yell and ran towards her. Suddenly, a long streak of black, tipped with a small hand, streaked down just in front of him and brought him to a halt. Sakaki chuckled. "So, you've finally come?"

Haruko glared at his opponent. "What are you doing to her?" he shouted.

Sakaki shrugged. "Giving her what she needs," he said, his voice somehow even more smug than usual. "Because of Atoli, a lot of people were hurt, both during that incident and in its aftermath. She needs to be punished."

Haruko's eyes bulged. "How dare you…" he growled. "How dare you do that to her? I'll tear you apart for this!"

Sakaki laughed. "Oh?" he said, still perfectly calm. "How dare you think you have a right to be indignant? I told you, she needs this. She needs penance for her crimes, and I willingly gave it to her."

Haruko drew his katana. "Atoli committed no crime, requires no penance… She's done nothing wrong!"

Sakaki smiled. "She doesn't think so," he replied. "The AIDA server incident was her fault, after all. AIDA could never have done what it did without her Epitaph…" He chuckled. "I'm surprised to hear such things from you. After all, it's her fault that Alkaid fell into a coma…"

Haruko roared and charged. "Don't talk about Alkaid or Atoli like that, you filth!"

Sakaki sighed, and flicked his hand. A pair of black hands crashed down in front of Haruko and cut him off. "This is just what I'm talking about," he said. "Thanks to Atoli, someone you loved became a Lost One."

Haruko ignored him. "Sakaki…" he growled. "I'm taking Atoli back."

Sakaki's eyebrows rose. "Oh?" he said, interested. "You're going to 'take her back'? That seems odd, coming from you." He laughed. "You think Atoli belongs to you? If anything, she belongs to me!"

Haruko began to walk forward. "Atoli belongs to nobody, Sakaki… least of all you. But I will take her back to where she belongs. With those who care about her, and those who love her… Not this place, where you're doing nothing but use her!"

Sakaki sneered. "Atoli belongs to 'nobody'? What an absurd notion…" His eyes sharpened. "Atoli owes me her very life!" he declared. "Of course I have a claim to her, and to her help in realizing my ideals!"

Haruko stopped. "Go on," he said, guardedly. "What do you mean, she owes you her life?"

Sakaki grinned. "Oh?" he said, eyes widening. "You don't know? Her 'big brother' doesn't know about Atoli's most painful memories?"

Atoli gasped. "Sakaki…" she managed to say, speaking for the first time. "Don't…"

Haruko shook his head. "No…" he said softly. "He's right; I can't act as your brother if I don't understand you completely."

Sakaki chuckled. "Very wise of you," he said, mockery in every syllable. "Atoli hasn't always been the happy young girl you see every day."

Haruko clenched his fist. "I know that," he said. "I let her cry on my shoulder a lot, whenever she's feeling upset. I know about her parents, and how her friends keep saying she's not cool…"

Sakaki smiled. "Ah, but you see, you weren't around when she was in middle school. And that was where the real trouble was." He shook his head, and said, "She was on the verge of breaking. With nobody to turn to, and even her own parents against her… she began to search for a way to end it all."

Haruko caught his breath. "You don't mean…!"

Sakaki nodded solemnly. "When I first encountered her… she was browsing suicide websites."

Haruko turned to Atoli, an anguished look on his face. "Atoli…" he muttered. "Why…? I would have helped you…"

Sakaki sneered. "You weren't there!" he called out. "It was up to me to help her, and so I did!"

Haruko slowly walked over to Atoli, and stood in front of her. "I'm sorry…" he whispered. "If only I were your real brother, you would have never even had to think about that…" He turned to Sakaki. "So, you talked her out of it?" he asked.

Sakaki nodded. "Yes. And I gave her something she had never had: a friend."

Haruko nodded. "Then I owe you my thanks, for saving my little sister." His eyes flared. "But! I will not tolerate what you're doing now! No matter what your ideals, I won't let you use her to accomplish them!" He roared and charged.

Sakaki caught his attack on his sword. "She's my subordinate, and she owes everything to me! I have every right to do this!"

Haruko launched a barrage of attacks. "So, that's why you did it? That's why you saved her? So you could use her later?" he shouted.

Sakaki sneered, fighting hard against him. "My ideals will make everyone happy once they're accomplished!" he replied. "If AIDA can control emotions, then I can use it to destroy anger and hatred, and bring about a peaceful world where everyone is happy, and nobody kills one another! I will make my ideals, Moon Tree's ideals, a reality online!"

Haruko grit his teeth, as both battlers managed to block every single strike. "You fool!" he shouted. "Nobody wants a world like that! A world where everyone is happy because everyone has to be, by your command…" He swung his blade with all his strength. "Nobody would be happy in a place like that!"

Sakaki stumbled back as the blow knocked his sword aside. "Guard break?" he muttered in shock.

Haruko didn't miss the opening. Charging, he vanished at high speed and crashed into Sakaki. "Lateral Moon!" he shouted. "I won't let you use Atoli!"

Sakaki yelled as he crashed into the ground and skipped along it. He struggled to his feet. "And what about you?" he yelled back. "Why are you acting like her big brother? What's the benefit you're seeking to gain?"

Haruko snorted. "None whatsoever. I care about her, that's all."

Atoli stared. "Oniichan…" she whispered.

Sakaki sneered. "There's no such thing as altruism!" he shouted. "Nobody is like that! Everyone has an ulterior motive!"

Haruko paused. "Sakaki…" he said, his voice suddenly soft. "What's happened to you, that you think like this? There's no altruism? You have to force people to be nice? How can you think such things?"

Sakaki raised his sword. "Easily… because they're true!" He snorted. "But I don't expect a mere PKer to understand my ideals," he added.

Haruko shook his head. "We share the same ideals, Sakaki," he said. "The same dream of seeing a 'World' where there are no PKers, and where people are kind to each other…" His eyes blazed, and his voice turned hard. "But we are very different when it comes to what we'll do to protect those ideals."

Sakaki took a step forward. "I'll do whatever I have to to accomplish them!" he shouted. "No matter what I have to do, or who I have to use… I'll make them a reality!"

Haruko put away his sword, and clenched his fist to his chest. "I won't let you use Atoli," he said coldly, as the bracelet glowed, and a Data Blade appeared around his fist. "You see… you gave her something she'd never had, when you became her friend." His eyes blazed. "But I gave her something she'd never had, too!"

Sakaki shrugged. "Oh?" he said.

Haruko nodded, and raised his hand. "Yes," he said quietly. "I gave her a brother… and someone who loves her."

Sakaki stared as the blade flared and grew to enormous size. Energy seemed to flood out from it in all directions, and Haruko's eyes blazed as he looked at his enemy. "I won't let you take that away from her… or her away from me!" he shouted, and charged.

Sakaki threw up his sword to try and block, but Haruko gave a massive swing and cut through it as if it were butter, dealing a tremendous blow to Sakaki's chest. The blow knocked Sakaki flying again, and he screamed as a line of golden flame traced itself across the wound. "What…" he gasped. "What…"

He yelped as Haruko placed the tip of the blade just under his chin. "I could kill you right now," he said, in a fearsome voice. "And it would be so… satisfying…"

Atoli stared at the two men with fear in her eyes. "Oniichan… no…" she whispered.

Haruko glared down at Sakaki for a minute longer, and then turned away. "But I won't," he said. As he spoke, his blade shimmered and shrank, until it was the same thin, long blade he'd used against Lucia. "Atoli still cares about you," he said, tight-lipped. "I could never do that to her."

Sakaki stared up at him. "So… for her sake…?"

Haruko smiled. "I told you. I'm her brother, and I love her." He walked slowly towards Atoli. "I just hope this works…" He stared at Atoli. "It's all right. Even if I can't break Sakaki, I can still separate AIDA from you."

Atoli stared back with blank eyes. "Oniichan…"

Haruko shook his head. "There are risks… and it will hurt." He tensed. "The last person I used this on… she fell into a coma." His eyes began to tear up, but he continued, "Even though it was the right thing to do… even though she thanked me at the end… it still hurts…" He snapped his head up, tears flying through the air as he gazed at her. "So…" he said softly, "Please… make sure you're ready. And make sure you come back! I couldn't bear this any longer if you got hurt as well!" He charged.

Sakaki stared. "No… my ideals…" He leapt to his feet. "I won't let you!" he shouted, and thrust out his hand.

A black hand hurtled down from the sky and pierced Haruko through the very center of his chest. He gasped, and stared down at himself.

Atoli stared, and for an instant, her eyes cleared. "Oniichan!" she shouted.

Haruko grit his teeth. "I show you mercy… and this is how you repay me?" he yelled.

Sakaki sneered. "I thought nobody has the right to 'demand' anything in repayment for anything."

Haruko glared at him. "Sakaki… I owe you a debt for saving Atoli's life. Consider it repaid." He turned. "And now…" he said softly, "I'll save her." He gripped the black hand, and it shattered like glass. "I will always protect my sister! Atoli!"

Sakaki growled and thrust down his hand again. "I will accomplish my ideals!" he shouted. "Die!"

Dozens of black hands crashed down, piercing Haruko one after another, but he charged on, heedless. "Atoli!" he yelled again.

Without warning, he suddenly stopped, his blade just inches from Atoli. Confused, he tried to force himself to move, but he was so hurt by the attacks and so pinned by the hands that he couldn't. He grit his teeth. "No…" he muttered.

Zefie appeared by his side in a whirl of pink. "Enough," she said sternly. "You can't go any further."

Haruko stared at Atoli, straining to move. "I… I have to…"

Zefie shook her head. "I just got a report from the others," she said, quietly enough that Sakaki couldn't hear. "All the surviving loyalists are safely out. And G.U. just breached the field. Leave the rest to them."

She grabbed one of the hands, and all of them flared pink and shattered. Haruko dropped to the ground in a heap. "I… I have to keep going…" he gasped out. "Atoli…"

Zefie lifted him onto one shoulder. "No," she said quietly. "If you keep going, you're going to kill yourself."

Haruko stared at her. "What…?" He began to cough, and then stared at his hand. "Not again…" he groaned.

Zefie nodded. "Overexert yourself any further, and your body won't be able to take it," she said. Turning to Atoli, she added, "Sorry… but you're going to have to wait a little longer. Cat-hair should get here soon, so trust in him, okay?"

Atoli looked down at Haruko. "Oniichan…" she whispered. "It's okay…"

Haruko stared at her. "Atoli… sis…" he said, panting. "I'm so sorry… but she's right; I can't go any further."

Atoli smiled. "It's… okay… I'll trust Haseo… so you trust him too, okay?"

Zefie glanced back at Sakaki, who had recovered from his shock and was now moving towards them. "Time to go," she said sharply. She tightened her grip on Haruko and warped out.

They arrived just beside the warp point. Haruko grit his teeth, drew out his staff, and raised himself up on it. "I'll… walk from here…" he muttered.

Zefie nodded. "Be careful, though," she added.

Just then, the doors opened, and Haseo entered, followed by Pi and Kuhn. Kuhn let out a yelp and ran to Haruko. "Hey, are you all right?" he asked.

Haruko waved a hand. "I'll… be fine, I think," he said. "But…" He turned to Haseo. "Haseo-kun… I tried, but I couldn't save her…"

Haseo caught his breath. "Atoli?" he asked, tremulously.

Haruko nodded. "Sakaki… he's got her… I beat him, but he caught me off guard…"

Haseo's eyes blazed. "So you left? What kind of 'big brother' are you?"

Kuhn whirled on him. "Hey!" he shouted. "Don't talk to Haruko like that!"

Zefie glared at him. "I made him leave, Cat-hair," she sniped. "And after the things you've done, I don't think you should be talking."

Haruko stared blankly at the black Adept Rogue. "Haseo-kun," he said softly. "I'm counting on you… You can do the things I can't… and you can save her. I trust you."

Haseo sneered. "Well, of course I can. There's no question of my strength. But it looks like your 'power' fails to compare."

Haruko shook his head. "My kindness destroyed me… as it always seems to do," he said calmly. "I don't excuse myself… but I did what I did, and I wouldn't change it."

Zefie caught the front of his robe. "Enough explaining," she said sharply. "Let's go."

Haruko nodded. "Haseo-kun… Pi-san… Kuhn… I'm counting on you three."

Author's Notes: I know I may be treading on thin ice here, as far as canon goes, but I do like this sequence... and after all, you don't save many people (if at all) during the raid in-game. So it's not really a stretch to imagine an evacuation. In any case... well, we all know what happens to Atoli from here. Haruko couldn't have saved her... otherwise she wouldn't have been there for Haseo to save. And besides, certain events in Segment Four couldn't take place if not for these events here.

...More than that, I won't say. Don't wanna ruin the surprise, after all... ;)


	31. Broken Seal

Zefie spun on her heel and warped both of them out, arriving instantly at the Twilight place was deserted, and Haruko sighed and slumped against the nearest wall. "I was so close…"

Zefie shook her head. "You shouldn't have left Sakaki around," she lectured. "Even to spare Bird-brain's feelings, that was what let him take you out."

Haruko sighed. "I know… Like I said, Haseo-kun can do things that I can't. I can't hurt Atoli like that… even if it's to save her…"

Zefie turned to him. "But you were willing to use that Data Blade and purge AIDA from her, even though that risked her falling into a coma?" she asked, puzzled.

Haruko looked away. "Better in a coma with her heart intact than awake with her heart broken," he said softly. "I don't know how she feels about Sakaki… but I couldn't risk hurting someone she cares about."

Zefie sighed, and approached him. "Haruko…" she said softly.

Haruko blinked. There were very few times she'd ever called him by anything other than her usual nickname of "dummy gaijin". "Zefie-chan?" he asked, guardedly.

Zefie hugged him. "I'm sorry, Haruko…" she whispered. "I got you involved in all of this, and you just keep getting more and more badly hurt…"

Haruko's eyes widened. "Zefie-chan…" he said softly. "This is new, coming from you."

Zefie nodded, knowing what he was thinking. Displays of affection from Zefie were almost unheard-of, barring her odd habit of pecking Shugo on the cheek. "I know," she murmured.

Haruko hugged her back, his mind taking him back to long ago, before he'd even formed the Twilight Guardians; the first time he'd met Zefie in three years.

_"Did you hear? They say there's a girl in the cathedral, and if you go there at midnight, you can hear her crying!"_

_Those words, coming from Henako, had led Haruko to camp out at Hulle Granz every night for an entire week. So far, nothing had happened. He checked his watch: 12:00:45. He sighed. Another night wasted. Wherever Aura was, it probably wasn't here._

_He stood, and turned back to the doors. As he raised his hand to open them, a soft sob reached his ears. He whirled around. Now he could clearly hear the sound. His mind whirled in excitement. At last, his searching through rumor after rumor of the girl in white had paid off! He slowly moved forward, being careful not to make a sound._

_After about a minute, he found the girl, curled up in one of the archways. He blinked- she had blonde hair, instead of Aura's usual pale purple. He approached closer, and nearly cried aloud as he realized who it was. Then, he smiled, knelt down nearby, and gently wrapped his arms around her._

_After a minute, Zefie turned her face to him. "Why?" she asked quietly._

_Haruko smiled. "Why what?" he asked._

_Zefie's eyes fixed on his. "As an AI, I don't have a physical body that can feel your hug," she said, very matter-of-factly. "What point is there in hugging a computer program?"_

_Haruko shrugged. "Well, after all…" he replied, "Even if you can't physically feel me hugging you, you can still feel the emotions behind it, right? Even without a body, you can still feel that I care about you and want to cheer you up, right?"_

_Zefie gave him a slight smile. "You changed your avatar… dummy gaijin."_

_Haruko rolled his eyes. "Not my decision, I assure you," he said sardonically. "So… feeling a little better?"_

_Zefie sighed. "Why'd you come here, anyway?" she asked._

_Haruko shrugged. "Well," he began, "I heard there was a girl crying here. A girl in white. I thought it might be Aura-sama."_

_Zefie lowered her head. "I see…"_

_Haruko grinned. "But I also wanted to cheer whoever it was up. If someone's crying, someone should care and do something about it, right?"_

_Zefie bopped him lightly on the head with one fist. "Dummy gaijin," she muttered. "You haven't changed a bit in three years." She giggled. "But I do feel a little better, yeah. Especially if you'll help find my mommy."_

_Haruko grinned. "Of course I'll help find Aura-sama," he said._

_Zefie nodded. "Then… thank you," she whispered, and gently hugged him back._

Zefie tightened her grip on him slightly, bringing him back to the present. "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

Haruko grinned. "Oh, just thinking about the last time you actually hugged me. What was it, eight months ago?"

Zefie smiled. "Oh, yeah…" She leaned her head on his shoulder. "And you did help me find her, after all." She turned to look at him, and then pecked his cheek.

Haruko blushed. "Hey… you're serious, aren't you?"

Zefie giggled. "I guess your charisma extends even to AIs," she quipped. "But really…" She sighed. "I'm sorry. You've gone through so much, all for me and my mommy. I…" She blinked back tears. "I should never have made that bracelet for you!"

Haruko jerked back. "Made…?" he gasped.

Zefie nodded glumly. "Yes…" she said softly. "In reality… Mommy didn't give me Kite's bracelet for safekeeping. I don't know where the real one is. But… you were always trying to help us, so when AIDA showed up…"

Haruko stared down at the bracelet. "So… it's not the real Bracelet of the Twilight, then?" he asked. "You made it for me?"

Zefie nodded. "Yeah…" She sniffed. "I'm sorry…"

Haruko smiled and hugged her again. "What are you sorry about? I've been able to do so many things to help people, thanks to this."

Zefie pulled away from him. "Yes, and thanks to that, you've had your heart torn to pieces over and over again, for nearly eight months now. So nice of me to get you involved like that." She glared at the bracelet. "I shouldn't have made it," she repeated.

Haruko shook his head. "Don't say things like that. I can handle a little pain…"

Zefie cut him off. "A little?" she snapped. "You just almost died, Haruko! Not 'became a Lost One' or 'fell into a coma'… you could have died!"

Haruko smiled. "Don't worry about me," he said kindly. "I won't die. I promised the others, remember?"

Zefie darted forward and clung to him. "But… if you keep going like this, you will!" she yelled, beginning to cry. "And… I'm scared of that happening…"

Haruko stared down at her. "Zefie-chan…" he breathed.

Zefie buried her head in his chest. "Haruko… I don't want you to die," she sobbed. "I don't want to see you hurt anymore. So…"

Haruko hugged her tightly to him. "I'm not going to die," he repeated. "And I won't give up this bracelet you gave me, either." He ruffled her hair. "This is something I have to do," he said softly.

Zefie glared up at him through teary eyes. "No, it's not!" she shouted. "Why should it be you who has to do this? We've already got G.U. and the Azure Knights. We don't need you to hurt yourself for us!" She looked away again. "Mommy told me to keep you out of this," she sobbed. "And look what's happened, now I've disobeyed her."

Haruko shook his head. "She was wrong to tell you something like that," he said.

Zefie stared sadly at him. "No, she wasn't," she murmured. "You've been hurt a lot in the past, both during the Twilight Incident and four years later, when you helped me escape C.C. Corp." She sniffed. "This time, you were supposed to be able to just have fun with everyone else."

Haruko shook his head. "I can't just look the other way while AIDA hurts everyone," he said softly.

Zefie began to say something, but suddenly broke off. She caught her breath. "Haruko… come with me," she said, suddenly serious.

Haruko blinked, but he took her hand and let her warp him along with her. They emerged in a cloister-type dungeon, at the very top of the tall, spiraling tower. Ahead of them stood the three Azure Knights, staring at a figure that Haruko couldn't make out. "Zefie-chan," he said softly. "Who's that?"

Zefie pointed. "Watch," she said simply. "After Haseo beat him, Sakaki fled through here, and G.U. went after him." She pointed to the Azure Knights. "Those three were going to chase him," she added, "But something got in the way."

The figure stepped forward, and smiled. "The 'pursuers'," he said, in a familiar deep voice. "I'm sorry… but I cannot allow you to go any further."

Azure Kite stared at its opponent, something… recognition? in its eyes. It let out a growl and began to move forward.

The figure smiled, and lowered his right hand to his left arm, which was encased in a strange, tomb-like device. A lock on the side of it shimmered, and broke in half, falling to the floor with a loud clang.

The Azure Knights charged, weapons ready, but the figure laughed and thrust his arm out to the side. The bands on the device burst apart, and it vanished in a blast of light that made Haruko cover his eyes.

When he could see again, he stared in horror. The figure stood in the center of the three AIs. With his right hand, he held a bayonet that was holding back Azure Balmung's sword. His left arm, up to just below the shoulder, was pitch-black, with red lines running along it, and the left hand clutched a wicked, three-pronged blade that held back Azure Kite.

But the most horrifying thing was what he was using to stop Azure Orca. From his left shoulder, there exuded a long, thin black arm, touched with red. Evil-looking barbs extended from it, shining with a bright, almost lava-like yellow glow, and its end was formed like a scythe, which clashed furiously against Azure Orca's broadsword.

With a loud yell, the figure forced all three Azure Knights back, and stepped forward, smiling. His sunglasses flashed as he stepped into the light, and Haruko gasped. "It's… you!" he yelled. "Ovan!"

Ovan smiled. "Oh… so you saw, then?" He tapped his left arm lightly. "As I told you," he went on, "When this seal breaks, all will be made clear."

Haruko shook his head. "All this time…" he muttered. "All this time, you were infected with AIDA?" He stared at Ovan. "Why didn't you tell me? I would have helped you!"

Ovan shook his head. "Not even Yata knows about this… and he and I are old friends. This isn't something that you can do anything about." He sighed. "Only one person can help me…" he muttered.

Haruko glared. "Haseo-kun…" he growled.

Ovan nodded. "Yes…" he said softly. "I told you, he needs to become stronger…" His head snapped around, as the Azure Knights charged again. "And this is why!" he yelled.

Haruko stared in disbelief as Ovan fought against the Azure Knights. The AIDA-PC bobbed and weaved almost effortlessly, dodging attack after attack. Meanwhile, his three weapons flew in all directions at speeds that made them blur and vanish from sight, and every blow he landed was a jarring hit.

It was over in just a few seconds. With a massive blow from his AIDA arm, Ovan flew past Azure Kite and severed his right hand. The stricken AI gave a pained yell and whirled. The three Azure Knights began to approach again.

"Hey, knock it off!" shouted Zefie. "That's enough! You're only going to get yourselves wiped out!"

They didn't listen. Azure Kite let out a hiss and raised his intact arm. Zefie stared. "Why aren't they following my orders?" she said, almost whining.

Haruko stepped forward. "Azure Knights!" he said, in a firm, loud voice. "Enough!" They stopped and turned to look at him, and he went on. "You can't defeat this enemy. Fall back for now, and leave it to the others."

The Azure Knights glanced at each other, and then nodded and vanished in three whirls of blue flame. Zefie gaped. "What?" she said, shocked. "They listen to you?"

Haruko shrugged. "I'm surprised, too," he said, half-truthfully.

Zefie glared at the spot where they had stood. "How come they listen to you and not to me?" she whined.

Haruko, meanwhile, was looking directly at Ovan, who smiled at him. "Interesting, Haruko…" he said softly. "Maybe… you're strong enough after all."

Haruko tensed. "Maybe I am," he replied.

Ovan charged. "Then show me!" he howled, drawing back his AIDA arm.

Haruko threw up a Data Shield just in time, and Ovan's arm grated against it. As it did so, it made a horrible screeching noise. Haruko let out a yell and clutched his head. "What…?" he gasped. With a final effort, he forced Ovan back, and then slumped to his knees.

Zefie glared at Ovan. "Leave him alone!" she shouted. "Can't you see he's hurt?"

Ovan blinked. "Oh…" he said. "I didn't, actually… My mistake. But, in any case, it has to be him." He turned towards the wall. "I'm not just seeking death, Haruko. There's something I'm trying to bring about… and I need Haseo for that to happen." He shook his head. "I'm not asking for your forgiveness," he added, softly. "I just want you to understand."

Haruko lowered his head. "I see…" he muttered. He sighed. "All this time… you've been fighting against it. I really do feel for you." His eyes sharpened. "But nothing excuses manipulating Haseo-kun and everyone else like that."

Ovan nodded. "I know…"

Zefie caught hold of Haruko's robes. "Okay, that's enough," she said sharply. "Go rest. Now. That's an order." With a burst of energy, she forced Haruko to log out, and then warped out as well. Ovan smiled, picked up Azure Kite's severed arm, and walked through the Tri-Edge sign on the far wall. "It's time… Haseo…" he murmured.

Sora slowly pulled off his M2D and set it aside. He heard the door open, and stood up to greet whoever it was.

Shizuka bounded into the room, grinning happily. "We did it, So-chan!" she shouted. "Everyone got out of Moon Tree safely, and I heard from Kuhn that everyone who got attacked is waking up! Atoli and Zelkova are both safe!"

Sora smiled weakly. "Atoli's all right, then?"

Shizuka beamed. "Yeah!" she said. She frowned. "But Sakaki got away… Oh, well. I bet G.U. will catch him." She lit up again. "Anyway, we did it!"

Sora took a tottering step towards her, and she broke off in mid-beam. "So-chan?" she asked, worried.

Sora swayed slowly on the spot. "I… don't feel so well…" he muttered. "I guess… I overdid it again…" He toppled forward and crashed to the floor. Before Shizuka even had time to scream, his world faded to black.

Author's Notes: So, the pen-penultimate chapter concludes, and a host of secrets are revealed... Just as Ovan said, when his left-arm seal broke, all was made clear.

That rumor about the girl in white that Sora follows to find Zefie is a real one from the in-game message boards, and I thought it would be the perfect way to explain Zefie's presence. After all, Second Unit exists for the purpose of rumor-following.

There's not much detail given to the fight, but I wanted to convey a sense of it being so completely one-sided that it was barely a fight after all, so a lot of detail would have ruined the purpose. Ovan shows up, Azure Knights attack him, Ovan unseals and goes total god-mode on them. That's the essence of what happens here; I just wanted to show the other side of that cutscene from the game.

Oh, and I'd just like to go on the record here as saying that while I hate Ovan's guts for being a manipulative prick, he is pretty much the biggest badass in the entire .hack franchise, and I love it every time circumstances call for him to make an appearance. Boo ya.


	32. Toll

The next few days were a blur to Sora. Scattered yells of concern and fear gave way to urgent mutterings, and the loud beeping of hospital machines. _Chika…_ he thought, and then sank into darkness again for a while.

In his state, he didn't notice when, but at some point, the hard cot underneath him changed into a soft feather bed. People seemed to come and go, though he could only make out voices. At one point or another, everyone visited him, but he couldn't remember anything that they said.

When he finally woke from his dazed state, he opened his eyes, squinting at the light, and began trying to figure out where he was. A moment later, the blurred figure sitting beside his bed resolved itself, and he smiled as he understood. "Kyoko-chan…" he said softly. "How'd you convince your mother to agree to this?"

Kyoko smiled at him, still holding tightly to his hand. "Sometimes, being the 'favorite' can come in handy, you know," she said, with an impish grin. "Most of the time, I can get my mother to do anything I want."

Sora rolled his eyes. "What time is it?" he asked.

Kyoko nodded. "It's noon on Wednesday," she replied. "You've been asleep for two days now."

Sora blinked. "Um… shouldn't you be in school, then?"

Kyoko giggled. "Yes, but I wanted to stay here with you," she said softly. "I wanted to hold onto your hand until you woke up."

Sora blinked. "Hold… my hand?" he said, confused.

Kyoko nodded. "Yeah. You don't know the saying?" Her eyes sparkled at him as she said, "They say that if you hold someone's hand while they're sick, they'll get better faster. Right?"

Sora sat up slowly and smiled at her. "Kyoko-chan," he said softly. "That's so sweet of you! You stayed home just to stay with me?" He held out his arms to her.

Kyoko giggled and hugged him tightly. "Of course, Sora-san," she said. "That crush I have on you isn't going anywhere yet."

Sora chuckled, and gently picked her up and set her in his lap before hugging her back. "You know, if you and I were closer in age, I don't think I would be able to resist you," he joked.

"Oh?" came an older voice. "I'm not so sure I like the way that sounds, Sora." Akiko entered the room, hands on her hips. "I come all the way down here," she complained, "And here you are flirting with Kyoko-chan!"

Kyoko smiled. "Raikiri-san has been a very frequent visitor," she whispered to Sora. "She was really worried, you know. We all were."

Sora smiled over at Akiko. "What's going on? Did the teachers cancel school today so everyone could check on me?"

Akiko rolled her eyes. "It's lunchtime, dimwit," she said. "I told Tamaki-sensei where I was going and then came here during the free time."

Sora arched an eyebrow, glancing at her outfit. "And yet you still took the time to change out of your uniform." He sighed. "Too bad… I think you look cute in it."

Akiko looked at him, and trembled slightly. "Sora…" she murmured.

Sora blinked, and gently set Kyoko aside. "Akiko… it's okay…" he said softly.

Akiko took a single, haltering step forward, and then darted towards him and hugged him tightly. "Sora…" she sobbed. "I was so worried about you…"

Sora held her gently against him. "Sorry…" he whispered. "But… Atoli…"

Akiko shook her head. "I'm not blaming you for that. I'm not even angry with you… but I was scared." She stared up at him. "I still am."

Sora smiled kindly. "Don't be," he whispered. "I promised you, remember?" He drew her close, and kissed her lovingly.

Akiko smiled as he drew back. "I can't stop being scared for you…" she whispered back, "But I'll trust in you, and your promise." She sighed. "I'd better go, though… I was just going to check on you anyway."

Sora nodded. "Yeah," he said. "And besides… there's something I've got to go do."

Akiko blinked. "Something…?"

Sora smiled. "Don't worry," he said calmly. "It's not dangerous or anything… but I've still got to go and do it. I should be back tomorrow."

Akiko blinked. "Back…" she said slowly. Then her eyes widened. "Ah! I get it!" She nodded. "Okay. Then I'll see you tomorrow." She spun around and left the room, waving as she went.

Sora sighed. "Now, let's see…" he muttered. "Kyoko-chan, is there a change of clothes for me here?"

"Yes," she said softly. "It's over on the dresser."

Sora turned to her. "What's wrong?" he asked kindly. "You sound… sad."

Kyoko shook her head. "It's nothing," she said softly. "I just… seeing you and Raikiri-san… kissing… like that…"

Sora ruffled her hair gently. "Relax, Kyoko-chan," he said gently. "I'm not your only chance for love." He grinned. "You're a very cute and very sweet little girl. In a few years, once they stop playing with their BB guns long enough to notice you, you'll have lots of boys wanting you to be their girlfriend."

Kyoko climbed into his lap and cuddled against him. "I know," she said, "But even so, you're the only boy I can think about."

Sora laughed, and Kyoko giggled along with him. "You're crushing hard on me, aren't you?" he said. "Well… I think devotion like that deserves a reward. Close your eyes, okay?"

Kyoko blinked, but closed her eyes. "Okay…" she said softly. "But… I mean…"

Sora chuckled. "Relax, Kyoko-chan, and hold still. It'll only take a second."

A moment later, Kyoko felt a soft pressure on her cheek, followed by a soft, sharp "chu!" sound. She opened her eyes to see Sora's twinkling at her, and stared. "Sora-san…" she gasped out. "Did… did you just…?"

Sora grinned. "Maybe," he said in a sing-song.

Kyoko broke into a wide smile and tackled him. "Oh, thank you, Sora-san!" she cried out. "You're so wonderful…"

Sora grinned. "Well, I had to return the favor from when we met at the hospital, remember?"

Kyoko blinked. "Oh, yeah…" she said, slowly realizing. "When you came to visit Oniichan that first time… I kissed you then, didn't I?" She giggled. "You were so red…"

Sora laughed. "Not as red as you were," he playfully retorted.

Kyoko nodded. "You know…" she said softly. "This used to be Oniichan's room, before the… accident."

Sora blinked. "It… was?" He shook his head. "You really… let me sleep here?"

Kyoko nodded. "Of course," she said softly. "You've done so much, both for me and for Oniichan."

Sora bowed. "I'm honored," he said softly. "Now…" He glanced at the clock. "I don't have much time. I'd better get going." He grabbed his extra clothes from the dresser, ducked into the closet, and swiftly changed. When he emerged, now wearing one of his kimonos, Kyoko was standing in the doorway, a smile on her face.

"Sora-san…" she said in an enticing voice. "I know you're in a hurry, but before you leave, you've got a toll to pay."

Sora blinked. "A toll?" he said, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Kyoko giggled. "Close your eyes," she replied coyly.

Sora rolled his eyes, knelt down in front of her, and closed his eyes. Kyoko giggled again, leaned forward, and kissed him lightly on the lips. "There we go," she said, still coy. "All set."

Sora laughed. "I bet you and Shizuka would get along pretty well," he said. "But, I can't stay any longer." His eyebrows arched, he quipped, "I might end up charmed right into your arms if I let you keep this up."

Kyoko hugged him one last time. "I'll see you soon… Guildmaster," she said softly. "And don't worry about getting back. My mom already agreed to drive you back to your dormitory."

Sora grinned, and ruffled her hair. "Okay. Thanks." He walked past her and headed downstairs.

Kyoko watched him go, smiling and holding her hand to her cheek. "He really kissed me…" she murmured. "My first crush… I hope it never stops…"

Back at the college, Sora thanked Mrs. Hakoya and snuck up to his room through the back stairway, managing to avoid meeting anyone. He opened the door and began rummaging through his drawers.

"I thought you'd come here, Sora-kun," said a calm voice. Sora whirled around to see Hiruma sitting on the bed. "I'm glad you're finally back on your feet," he continued. "But I'm still pretty mad. Do you have any idea what the girls have been through these past two days?"

Sora shook his head. "I know," he said softly. "But what choice do I have?" He sighed, and checked his wallet. "I'm short… Hiruma-kun, could you lend me… 20,000 yen?"

Hiruma's glasses flashed. "You're going _there_, aren't you?" he asked.

Sora blinked. "Huh? How'd you…?"

Hiruma's eyes were hidden behind the glare on his glasses. "20,000 yen is just about enough for a plane ticket. And there's nowhere else you'd be flying at a time like this," he explained. He pulled out his wallet. "That's fine by me. But you should talk to Shizuka-san or Renée first."

Sora shook his head. "No…" he muttered. "I can't face them yet. I have to do this first." His eyes were tormented. "I can't go on until I do this. I've put it off for far too long…"

The glare faded from Hiruma's glasses, revealing soft brown eyes. "I know," he said. He held out several bills. "Go ahead. I'll tell the others you're all right… and where you've gone."

Sora took the bills, and hefted his traveling bag onto his shoulder. "I should be back early tomorrow," he said. "So, I'll see you then."

Hiruma caught his arm as he turned to leave. "Wait," he said quickly. "There's something you should see first… or at least take with you."

Sora blinked. "What…?" He shook his head. "Hiruma-kun, my flight's going to leave in less than an hour and a half. I've got no time."

Hiruma nodded. "I know," he said, and then smiled. "Security is getting ridiculous these days. We're going to end up rivaling the Americans for aerial paranoia." He went to Sora's printer and removed a thin sheaf of papers from the output tray. "Here," he said. "At least look at them on the flight. Mayako worked really hard on these."

Sora blinked. "Mayako-san…" he muttered. "Wait, where'd you get them?"

Hiruma smiled. "You left your account logged in when you collapsed," he explained. "Shizuka-san found it like that hours later, and remembered that Mayako had told you about her email. So she opened it up, and minutes later she was distributing these things all over campus like they were flyers." He shook his head, still smiling.

Sora nodded, and slid the pages gently into his bag. "Okay," he said softly. "Now, I've got to go."

Hiruma nodded, and then suddenly hugged Sora tightly. "Sora-kun," he whispered. "I really am glad you're okay."

Sora smiled. "Was I that beat up?"

Hiruma nodded. "When we found you… it looked really bad," he replied. "It's amazing you were able to pull through that."

Sora sighed. "Sorry about that… I should have just taken out Sakaki right there."

Hiruma shook his head. "No," he said. "Zefie told us everything. You did exactly the right thing."

Sora smiled, and hugged Hiruma back. "Thanks… bro."

Hiruma released him, and watched as he left. "That said, though…" he muttered. "I would have obliterated him in an instant." He smiled. "But then again, one of your faults has always been that you're too kind. And of course, everyone loves you for it."

Sora drove in silence to the airport, his mind focused solely on his goal. He made his way quickly through security, having only a carry-on bag to check, and then made his way to the ticket counter.

The young lady behind the counter beamed as he approached. "Hey, cutie," she said, smiling widely. "Where are you headed?"

Sora glanced up at the departure board. _Good. I made it with twenty minutes to spare._ He looked back down at the ticket seller, and said simply, "Sapporo."

Author's Notes: Do whatever you wish to me for stealing that line from Tsubasa, but it was just too cute when Sakura said it not to make use of it. Plus, it fits Kyoko perfectly.

Oh, and for those of you who either don't remember or don't know, Sapporo is in Hokkaido. That's as much of a big reveal as y'all get. :P One more chapter to go. There's going to be a decent-sized omake chapter this time around, as well, though it might take a week or so to get up. Some of the specifics of the scene are still eluding me, but I'll get it done in the end.


	33. Memory's Rain

The flight to Hokkaido took about an hour. Once they were in the air and cruising, Sora opened up his bag and took out Mayako's "project". He stared in awe at the first page. "Man…" he muttered. "Mayako-san really outdid herself on this…"

The picture depicted Haruko standing against a bright blue sky, reaching out his hand towards the viewer. His staff was in his other hand, resting on the ground as Haruko crouched. He was clearly trying to help someone to their feet, but whoever it was was unseen, in front of the frame. A cheery smile was spread across his face, and his scarf blew gaily in the wind.

He smiled, remembering the scene well. The first time he'd met Mayako, he'd helped her up in exactly that way. He ruffled the pages slightly, counting them, and then moved on to the next one. He caught his breath as the full picture was revealed. The picture was again of Haruko, this time charging into the foreground. His katana was out and in mid-swing, and a look of wild happiness was on his face. Unlike in the first picture, his wings were visible, and spread out wide. Every single feather in them was carefully, almost lovingly shaded and detailed.

Sora sighed. "Her work is amazing…" he said to himself. "How does she manage to capture them so well?" He flipped to the next page, and chuckled. This one depicted Haruko and Henako relaxing at a beach, both in swimsuits. Sora smiled; although of course the scene could never have happened in "The World", he was fond of fanart like that.

The rest of the pictures were similar in nature. Some depicted actual scenes that Haruko and the others had been caught in- including a masterful action shot of Haruko and Aquarios fighting on the surface of Indieglut Lugh- and others were non-canon fanart pieces that had never happened, but were still nice to look at. Sora actually laughed out loud at the second-to-last picture, which showed Haruko wearing a duel disk and grinning goofily at his unseen opponent.

Then, he came to the last picture, and stopped. "Mayako-san…" he breathed.

The picture was a stylized portrait of both Haruko and Haseo, standing with their backs to one another. Haseo's face wore a wicked grin, and his scythe was out and ready, his armor's long 'tail' streaming out behind him. Haruko, on the other hand, held his staff out at arm's length, upright but slanted as if he were about to cast a spell. Both players had swords slung across their backs- Haruko's katana and Haseo's broadsword- and twin blades holstered at their sides. The legend "Twin Saviors" had been clumsily scrawled in kanji in one corner.

Sora smiled. "I guess her penmanship still needs a little work," he muttered softly. He pulled down the tray table in front of him and the one for the seat beside him (it was an afternoon flight, and not many people were onboard, so the seat was vacant), and spread out the pictures as best as he could on them. He smiled down at the spread. Even like this, he could sense the admiration emanating from Mayako's artwork.

The person in the aisle seat behind him poked his head up. "Hey, did you do that?" he asked.

Sora grinned, and shook his head. "No," he replied, "A friend of mine did these. Pretty good, eh?"

The other person nodded. "Yeah. So, those characters… are they from 'The World'?"

Sora nodded again, tapping the figure of Haruko in the "Twin Saviors" picture. "Yeah," he said. "That's my character right there."

The boy grinned. "Wow, so you're the famous Haruko? That's so cool!"

Sora shrugged. "Oh, I don't know about 'famous'…" he began.

The boy shook his head. "Don't be modest, Haruko," he cut him off. "You know, a lot of people really look up to you. You're really strong, and you're a great guy…"

Sora sighed. "Yeah, I know…" _And yet I keep failing to live up to that admiration…_

_No. I've got to keep focused. No matter how many times I stumble, I have to keep going, like Akiko said._

Forcing a smile, Sora turned around and began talking with the boy. They soon fell into a discussion of the Arena, and various champions of the three Palaces. Before either of them knew it, the flight had landed, and they were forced to break off talking while they gathered their things. As the boy passed Sora, who was still scrambling to put everything away, he turned and flashed him a grin. "Oh, and by the way," he added, "Inside of 'The World'… my username is Kira." He grinned again and dashed off.

Sora blinked, and then burst out laughing. "Kira-san…" he muttered. "From First Unit? That little joker…" He picked up his bag, still chuckling, and left.

From the airport, he quickly flagged down a taxi, and, after getting the door for the young lady he'd flagged it for, took a bus to the hospital. The female receptionist smiled at him and quickly directed him to the room he was looking for.

He opened the door and stared sadly down at the brown-haired figure in the bed. "Hello, Chika," he said softly.

Nobody else was in the room, so he seated himself beside her bed and looked at her. "I'm sorry…" he muttered. "I should have visited a long time before this." He stroked her arm gently. "People always say that coma patients can still hear… so I hope you can hear me. Things have changed a lot since that day…"

Over the next few minutes, Sora continued to talk. He told Chika about staying with Mistral, and the battle with Aquarios, and everything he'd learned about AIDA over the past week. He told her about Atoli, and about Sakaki's insane ploy for power- though he didn't mention how badly hurt he'd been. Lastly, he told her about how Sirius had been saved, and how upset he'd been over her.

When he'd finished, he gently took her hand in his and stroked it gently with his thumb, looking silently at her. After a moment, he blinked. _Hey… where's her bracelet?_

"You!" The shout came from the doorway, and broke Sora's reverie. He turned to see Mahi standing there, blazing with rage. "Get away from there!" she yelled.

Sora stood, as an orderly came up to Mahi and caught her arm, trying to calm her down. "Who the… Who let this… _boy_ in here?" Mahi shrieked. "He's the one responsible for my little Chika being like this!"

Sora approached her, while she struggled to get her arm free from the orderly's grip. "You think it's my fault, eh?" he said coldly. "Well, feel free to press charges, if you're so sure. I won't."

Mahi blinked. "What… did you say?"

Sora fixed her with a cold stare. "If you're looking for revenge," he went on, "Go ahead and take it."

She stared at him, and he continued, "It's true that there was nothing I could do to prevent this. I arrived too late. But the fact remains that I failed to protect her." His eyes sharpened. "In that sense, I'm partially at fault here… and so if you want, come and take your revenge on me."

Mahi glared at him. "Why are you here?"

Sora's eyes stared calmly back. "Because I love her," he said simply.

Mahi went limp, and the orderly gently released her. "You…" she muttered. "Your fault… and you talk about 'loving' her?" She shook her head. "Leave," she said sharply. "You're not going to want to be here for this. And it's not your place to be here for it, either."

Sora turned his back on her. "I'm not leaving," he said. "What are you going to do?"

Mahi shook her head. "I'm not going to let my daughter languish here for months on end when there's no cure in sight for Doll Syndrome." Her words caught in her mouth. "I came… to pull the plug…" she said softly.

Sora chuckled darkly. "Oh?" he said. "Well, go ahead and try. And then…" He whirled around, eyes aflame. "Then try and walk out of here with your limbs still intact!"

Mahi took a step forward. "Are you threatening me?" she said icily.

Sora's eyes took on an almost amused tint. "You try to pull the plug on my Chika, and you act surprised that I'm telling you that if you do, I'll break every bone in your body?"

Mahi grabbed him by the collar. "She's not yours! She's mine!" she yelled. "And it's my decision to do this!"

Sora glared calmly down at her, but made no move. "You claim the decision rests with you?" he said coldly. "You, who have never acted like a mother to this girl, rather than me, who truly loves her?" He smirked. "And besides… I seriously doubt that Takeshi-san really consented to this."

"Consented to what?" came a warm, relaxed voice. Mahi gulped and let go of Sora, just as Takeshi entered the room.

Sora smiled darkly. "Ah, Takeshi-san," he said softly.

Takeshi grinned. "Hey, Sora-kun! You came to visit Chika, huh?"

Sora nodded. "And not a moment too soon, it seems," he added. "So… did you know what Mahi-san here was planning to do?"

Takeshi blinked. Then, he looked at Mahi, and from her over to the orderly, and finally at Chika and the equipment surrounding her. His eyes moved back to Mahi, and he stared at her, dumbfounded. "No… Mahi, you wouldn't!" he choked out.

Mahi grit her teeth. "Takeshi…" she murmured. "There's no hope for her. Even after eight months, nobody's been able to determine the cause of Doll Syndrome, let alone the cure for it." Her eyes began to brim with tears. "I don't want our little girl to lie here, an empty husk, for months or years, just on the empty hope that they'll find a cure for it!" She slumped into a chair and began to sob.

Takeshi glared at her. "So, you went behind my back and tried to kill our daughter?" he roared. "Get out! Now!"

Mahi's head jerked up, tears running down her face. "But…"

"Now!" Takeshi yelled, and Mahi scampered out of the room, her face buried in her hands. Takeshi turned to Sora and sighed. "Thanks a lot," he said in a normal voice. "I might just have lost her if you hadn't been here."

Sora nodded, and sat down where he had been before. Takeshi seated himself across from him, smiling down at Chika. "Don't be too upset," he said calmly. "I know Chika's going to pull through. She's a strong girl, you know."

Sora smiled weakly, and laid his hand on Chika's. Takeshi looked at it and smiled. "Hey, you're really wearing that bracelet she got for you, huh?"

Sora nodded. "Say…" he said, suddenly remembering. "Where's hers? She's not wearing it…"

Takeshi chuckled. "Oh, that's no mystery," he replied. "They gave her another MRI this morning, so they had to take it off." He motioned to the dresser in one corner of the room. "I guess they didn't put it back on her yet."

Sora rose and went to the dresser. "May I…?" he said slowly.

Takeshi nodded. "Of course."

Sora smiled, went back to Chika's side, and gently fastened the bracelet around her wrist. Takeshi grinned as he looked at Sora's. "You know," he said, almost conversationally, "Sharks are a real pain to reel in."

Sora blinked. "Yeah… I know that, all right," he replied. "I mean, you can't be an Islander and not have caught a shark or two. But how would you know about that?"

Takeshi shrugged. "Where do you think that shark tooth came from?" he asked.

Sora's eyes widened. "Wait…" he gasped. "You caught that shark?"

Takeshi shook his head. "Nope! Chika here did," he said, grinning hugely. "You should have seen her fighting with it. I've never seen her look so alive!" He chuckled. "Mahi tried to get her to stop, but she really wanted to get it for you."

Sora looked down at the shark tooth on his bracelet with new eyes. "She caught the shark that this tooth came from?" he muttered, incredulous. "I never knew…"

Takeshi nodded. "Oh!" he said suddenly. "That reminds me… somehow…" He bent down and lifted a small knapsack onto the bed. "There's something in here for you."

Sora opened the knapsack and looked through it. After a moment, he withdrew a slim yellow volume. "Oh yeah…" he muttered. "It's my turn with this, isn't it…?"

Takeshi smiled. "I was going to put in the mail that day," he explained, "But I got the call that she collapsed when I was just about to go to the post office, and I forgot all about it in the rush."

Sora sat back down again, and opened the exchange diary. _I feel kinda goofy doing this,_ Chika had written on the first page. _But I'll do it anyway. After all, I really do love you, 'Shuu-chan'._

Sora smiled softly. "Oh, Chika…" he murmured. He flipped to the next page.

As he continued to read, his face slowly fell, and his head lowered. Takeshi blinked. "Hey…" he said, extremely hesitant.

Sora shook his head. "It's all right…" he whispered. "I'm going to read through to the end. I owe Chika at least that much."

When he had finished the week's worth of writing, he sat silently for a while with tears running down his face. The diary slowly slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground, and Sora sighed and bent to pick it up. A piece of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor.

Sora picked it up and read it. It was a page from the diary, but torn out and folded in half. _Shuu-chan,_ it read, _It really is fun writing to you like this. It's like, every week we get to see each other again, even if I live far away in Hokkaido. I really do miss you, though… I mean, I love you, after all. And… and I know you love me too. I don't know if you've figured it out or not… but even so, and I'm sorry for this, I'm tired of waiting. When you find this, call me. There's so many things I want us to talk about… as a couple._

In what was probably meant to be a joking manner, she had signed it "Chise". Sora stared at the paper for a long while. "So… she knew already…" he muttered.

Takeshi nodded. "Yeah," he said. "She's known that for a long time."

Sora stared down at Chika's still form, and then pulled out his wallet, took out a small piece of paper, and looked down at it.

Takeshi blinked. "Hey… can I see that?" he asked.

Sora nodded, and handed it to him. "It's just a picture," he said. "We took it four or five months ago."

Takeshi grinned. "Hey, I've seen this before!" he said. He went to the dresser, rummaged around for a moment, and then tossed a wallet to Sora. "Go ahead, open it up," he called.

Sora gently opened the wallet and looked inside. After a moment, he noticed a piece of paper sticking out from behind Chika's ID card, and pulled it out. He stared. It was a printout of a screenshot from "The World", showing Haruko and Alkaid, grinning happily with their arms around each others' shoulders and with their free hands both raised in a V-for-victory pose.

The picture was the exact same one that Sora had kept behind his own ID card, and that he had been looking at and Takeshi had recognized. He stared at it. "She… kept this screenshot too?" he muttered, stunned.

Takeshi nodded. "Yeah," he said. "She always looked at that when she was thinking of you." He shrugged. "What's it of, anyway?"

Sora smiled sadly, remembering. "A long while back, maybe four or five months ago, I was the Emperor of the Demon Palace."

Takeshi nodded. "Yeah, I remember that," he said, rubbing his chin. "Chika was training to try and get her title back when… when this happened." His smile faltered slightly.

Sora nodded, and went on, "The day we took this… was the day she won that title from me."

Takeshi blinked. "Oh…" He nodded, understanding. "I see. So then, it must have been an important memory." He grinned, and added, "Looks like Chika treasured it just as much."

Sora stared down at the two pictures. "Yeah…"

Takeshi rose and patted his back gently. "Sora-kun, I'm going to go now," he said warmly. "I'll leave you and Chika alone for a while."

Sora looked up at him. "Seven years ago," he said softly, "Someone very close to me was like this, back then."

Takeshi nodded. "And, did he ever wake up?"

Sora nodded, somewhat hesitantly. "Yes…" His eyes sharpened. "So, don't worry," he continued. "Whether it's by my hands or someone else's, I promise you she'll come back."

Takeshi grinned. "I'm counting on you," he said. "And I trust you."

He turned and left, and Sora gently knelt down beside Chika's bed, bringing his head close to hers. "Chika," he whispered. "I wish I'd been there sooner. If only I'd come with you right away, instead of going to meet that new recruit…" He shook his head. "But, I know you'd tell me not to blame myself."

He reached out and stroked her hair gently. "I read the diary," he went on. "I know… and I'm so sorry I didn't see it before." He moved closer, and the faint scent of lotus blossoms entered his mind. "I really do… love you…" he whispered, and gently kissed her still lips.

After a minute, he chuckled. "If only the world was like a fairy-tale," he said. "But I guess reality is a lot crueler than that." He stood, retrieving the exchange diary as he did. "I'll keep my end of this until you wake up," he said, starting to grin. "It'll mean you'll have a lot to read, but really, it's nobody's fault but your own."

He walked to the door, and then paused. "Don't worry, Chika," he said, softly but firmly. "I won't falter, no matter what. I won't stop. I will bring you back. And I'll be waiting for you when you wake up." His eyes shone softly. "I promise."

Author's Notes: And so we come to the end... Although it's the least combat-intensive of any of them, this is the segment I'm most proud of out of the four. SIGN was all about the interaction between the characters, and all their stories, and I've tried to capture that spirit with _Memory's Rain_. Although an amateur like me can't reach the heights of the SIGN team, I hope I have been able to accomplish this goal. The final segment (which is now officially untitled again, since the working title doesn't really fit like the other three) is going to be more combat oriented, focusing on "struggle" as a sort of keyword. Despite this, the interactions both past and present will play a role still in what is to come, and in the end... well, that really _is_ in the future for us, now isn't it?

And talking of the future... The omake chapter for this segment is developing well, and I should have it up soon; definitely no later than Friday next. However, after that I'm going to have to go on hiatus for a while, in order to build up a "buffer" of Segment 4 chapters (and to... um... finish the game... --"). In addition, I'm probably going to have to drop back to weekly updates. I'm really sorry about this, but I haven't been able to write more than 10 pages so far, and I really can't write the segment without finishing the game first. With the other segments, I'd actually finished (or nearly finished) the first three before I started posting, but here I only really have a few scattered scenes so far. So, I'll need time to do the actual writing in-between updates, instead of just doing these annotations.

Anyway, so I'll try to start up Segment 4 soon, but in the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for the omake chapter, and possibly a new chapter in D.N. Zero soon as well (if I can figure out how I want this meeting to go...). We've come to the beginning of the finale... and to everyone who has remained with me throughout this long journey, I thank you, and warn you... You ain't seen nothing yet.


	34. Omake: Emerald Wind

Emerald Wind

Time: 2014, three days before the first appearance of Zefie

--

"Haruko! Wait up!" Mirelle ran after the blue-haired Wavemaster, waving to try and get his attention.

Haruko turned and smiled at her. "Okay," he said, standing still while she caught up. He leaned against one of the field's many buildings and crossed his arms.

Mirelle smiled as she reached him. "You know, I still can't get over your character design," she said. "How on earth did you pull that off?"

Haruko laughed, twirling in place a bit. "You like, eh?"

Mirelle nodded in agreement. Haruko's second iteration was a brash-looking, youthful Wavemaster. Clad in long white robes like a cleric's, with a long, blue, gold-embroidered tassel in front, he gave off a powerful, mystical presence. Paradoxically, he wore a pair of bright blue goggles around his head, adding to his brash, almost _shounen_ appearance. His eyes were ocean blue, and his long, straight hair a bright, almost electric blue that blended nicely with his goggles.

Haruko smiled and turned, and then blinked as he caught sight of a young girl. He tilted his head, taking in her long white dress and straight blonde hair. "Hello?" he said cautiously.

Mirelle blinked. "Wow!" she said, her eyes suddenly sparkling. "Another rare character design!" She dashed forward, crouching down beside the girl. "Hey, come on, come on!" she shouted. "Exchange member addresses with me… please?"

The girl gave her an odd, vacant look, and then turned and began to walk away.

Haruko chased after her, matching his pace to hers. "Hey, now… will you please tell me your name?" he asked. "I'm Haruko. And that little goofball over there is Mirelle-chan."

Mirelle giggled. "So, who're you?" she asked, still loud and eager.

The girl looked up at Haruko. "Zefie," she said softly. "What is that loudmouth girl talking about?"

Haruko blinked. "Um… you mean member addresses?" he asked. Then his eyes widened. _Could she be a vagrant AI?_ he wondered. "Do you… have one?" he asked, kneeling to put his head on a level with hers.

Zefie shook her head silently. Then she said, "Have you seen my mommy?"

Haruko paused, and then shook his head. "I don't think so," he said. "What's her name?"

Before Zefie could answer, a harsh shout rang out. "Hey! You there! Get back from that girl!"

Haruko turned to see a helmeted knight glaring at Zefie. He grit his teeth. "Why?" he said, softly and dangerously. "Going to try and delete her?"

Mirelle took a step forward, but Haruko shot her a glare and a flash mail. _Don't get involved. Stay hidden and out of the fight._

The knight stepped forward. "By order of Administrator Kamui, leader of the Cobalt Knights, all bugs are to be terminated! If you persist, you will be found guilty of hacking and your account will be deleted!"

Haruko sighed, and thrust out his hand in the Cobalt Knight's face. "Go away," he said softly. "I don't deal with fools who can't think for themselves." An orb of white light burst from his hand and pierced the knight's head, blasting him backwards and onto the ground, where he turned grey and dissolved into nothingness.

Mirelle stared. "Wow…" she said softly. "He took him out in one shot!" She blinked, seeing other Cobalt Knights beginning to warp in. "Oooh…" She began frantically typing at her computer, calling up several programs.

Haruko caught sight of another knight and sighed. "Argh… what a pain…" he muttered. He looked at Zefie. "Stay close, all right?" he said. "Otherwise you're gonna end up getting hurt too."

Zefie nodded, taking hold of his robe. "Okay," she said softly. "I hope you win… I wanna see my mommy Aura again…"

Haruko blinked, and spun. "Wait…" he gasped. "Your mother… is Aura-sama?"

Zefie blinked in return. "You know my mommy?" she asked softly.

Haruko shook his head. "No… I've never actually met her," he said. "But I want to." He smiled, and then turned, adding, "I owe her a lot. Stay close, Zefie-chan… I'll get you out of here."

He made a pulling motion with his right hand, and in a flash of light, a staff appeared in his hand. Mirelle's eyes went wide as she saw it. "Wow…" she breathed, looking at the head, which was fashioned like a "V" with curved legs. Six small, feathered wings sprouted from the staff, two from each leg and another pair from the base of the V. "The Staff of the Seraphim…" She began typing even more frantically. "Come on, boot up!" she muttered to her computer.

The first of the reinforcements reached Haruko and raised his blade. "You! Player Haruko! You are hereby ordered to stand down and to allow the Cobalt Knights to continue operations in this area unhindered!"

Haruko chuckled. "And if I don't? Let's say that I disagree with your intentions to delete an innocent AI. What then?"

The Knight charged. "Then prepare for deletion!" he howled.

Haruko smiled, and charged to meet him, swinging his staff in a devastating two-handed uppercut that sent the Knight flying into the sky. He leapt and grinned. "Looks like I need two hits when I'm up against a Knight instead of a Scout, eh?" he said, and struck his opponent with an overhead smash, sending him crashing to the ground where he faded out like the other knight.

The two Knights who had appeared on the scene just stared. Mirelle, on the other hand, was practically beside herself with excitement, eagerly adding narration to the image capture she'd just begun. "The Staff of the Seraphim," she said into her microphone. "An incredibly rare Wavemaster weapon; even I don't have one! In addition to its high magical attack power, the feathers in the wings are made of sharpened metal, making this one of the few staffs that can actually do high physical damage!"

Haruko smiled at the two Knights in his way. "You boys going to let me and Zefie-chan through?" he asked, pointing his staff at them.

The Knights both clenched their swords and charged, roaring as one. Haruko smiled. "Unit cohesion. Nice." He raised his staff, and a spark of light gleamed at its tip. "Okay… Gigan Don!" he shouted. A barrage of fist-sized rocks rained down on the two enemies, making them falter.

Mirelle smiled. "As always, Haruko's magic skill is truly amazing!" she said happily, still narrating the battle as she watched.

The two knights recovered, and both charged again. Haruko flashed a grin and met them head-on, swinging his staff in a wide arc and sending one flying. His companion whirled and swung his blade down, but in an instant, Haruko's staff was there to parry it, followed by an overhand slash that nearly cut the opponent in two. Haruko nodded, and then whirled as another Knight charged him, thrusting out his hand. "UrLei Zas!" he yelled, and a wide beam of light stabbed out, dropping the enemy in an instant.

Mirelle let out a whoop. "Wow! A level 3 spell? Even for someone as experienced as Haruko, it's rare to see Wavemasters that can use those these days!"

Haruko glanced up at Mirelle, raising an eyebrow, as Zefie ran up beside him, looking around. "There's more…" she said.

Haruko nodded to her, watching as a ring of troops began to draw up around him. Using a Mage's Soul item to replenish his magic, he looked at Zefie. "Stay right by me, okay?" he said. "If you get caught in this spell too, it's game over."

Mirelle blinked. "Oh no… I see a few Guardsmen and a Cardinal in there…" She grabbed her staff.

Haruko met her eyes and shook his head slowly and deliberately. He watched impassionately as the Cardinal, a high-ranking officer of the Cobalt Knights, stepped forward. "User Haruko!" he declared, eyeing the white-robed Wavemaster warily. "This is your final warning! The AI you are protecting has been determined to be a threat to the safe and controlled operation of 'The World'! Stand down and allow us to do our job and delete it!"

Haruko snorted. "I won't bother to argue with someone who blindly does what they are told without questioning a thing," he said. "Begone."

As Mirelle watched in awe, Haruko thrust his staff to the sky and roared, "Kai UrZan Rom!"

For a moment, the battlefield was still. Then a softly blowing wind began to stir. Before the enemies could even back up, the wind rose to a wild howl, and a massive tempest whirled up from the ground all around Haruko. As the blasts of wind rose to the heavens, the gale sliced through every single one of the encircling Cobalt Knights, making them cry out in pain and then collapse to the ground, one after another.

Mirelle beamed as she watched, eyes fixed on Haruko as he stood calmly in the middle of this destruction, staff raised still. "Amazing…" she said. "That was a level 4 spell, the highest of high!" She giggled. "Only a Wavemaster can use those, and even then, only the very highest of levels. Haruko's a master, all right…"

When the wind cleared, only the Cardinal was left standing. He took a step towards Haruko, and then suddenly buckled and collapsed to the ground. Staring up at his opponent, he muttered, "You can't be real."

Haruko shrugged and grinned, then walked past the stricken officer as he faded out, Zefie close by his side. He looked at her. "You all right?" he asked.

Zefie nodded. "Yes."

Haruko smiled. "Well, that's good. All right, we're going to head for the Chaos Gate now, okay? I know some people who could get you to safety."

Zefie pointed ahead. "Look sharp. There's still more."

Haruko nodded, running ahead as three Cobalt Knights ran down the narrow alleyway towards them. Caught in the narrow way, they were forced to attack one at a time. Haruko parried the first opponent's Ray Rack skill, and knocked him away with a three-strike combo. The Scout behind him yelled and charged, sword outstretched in a powerful thrust.

Instead of parrying, Haruko smiled, crouched, and then leapt high over the Scout's head, bringing down his staff on the third enemy's head with a loud thud. "Stay down! OrZan Rom!" he yelled, bringing it up again and smiling as a much smaller storm than the first one sprang up and defeated the Knight.

The Scout, seeing this, howled and turned, charging. "I won't let you and your bugs threaten this place! For Master Kamui, and for 'The World'! Calamity!"

Haruko smiled. "So, there's one with a good head on his shoulders after all," he said softly. "My apologies." Without even turning, he thrust his staff backwards, impaling him on the point. Only then did he turn. "I'll finish you with the respect you deserve," he said. "UrLei Zas!"

A massive ball of light exploded from the staff and pierced the Scout. Zefie ducked out of the way, but the unfortunate Cobalt Knight disintegrated in midair and was defeated. Zefie got up, hands on her hips. "Watch it!"

Haruko laughed. "Sorry…" He smiled. "Now he can say that even the great Haruko needed a level 3 spell to take him down."

Zefie glanced at him. "And why waste the SP for such an overkill attack?" she asked. "A simple calculation shows that even a level 1 spell would have destroyed him, with a nearly 80 reduction in SP usage."

Haruko blinked, and then rubbed the back of his head. "Well, yeah… but that was the point…" He smiled. "That one was truly dedicated to 'The World', just like Kamui-san is. There are too many who're just blindly following C.C. Corp, or doing their jobs… but I liked that one's spirit."

Zefie shrugged, and pointed. "The way is clear ahead."

Haruko nodded. "Right," he said. "Let's get moving. We should be at the Chaos Gate soon."

Mirelle smiled. "Well, that was pretty neat…" she said. "Cool and deadly in battle, but still as kind-hearted as anyone could ask for; that's Haruko, all right." She sighed. "Guess that wraps things up…"

She blinked and broke off as her capture program zoomed in automatically on a figure that had just warped in at the Chaos Gate. "Uh-oh…" she said softly.

Haruko smiled as he saw the Chaos Gate just ahead. "Almost there…" he said. Then he let out a yell. "Zefie-chan, down!" He dashed in front of her and made to push her, but Zefie leapt lightly onto a wall instead. An instant later, a ring of fireballs crashed down on his head, making him stumble. He grit his teeth as he raised his head. "Magi-san…" he said softly.

Magi stepped forward, glasses flaring as she raised her book. "Precisely," she said. "As Kamui is in Shanghai at the moment, it falls to me, her second-in-command, to establish order here."

Haruko nodded, raising his staff. "Your devotion to her is admirable, Magi-san," he said softly. "But nonetheless, I will not allow you to stand in my way."

Magi's eyes glinted. "Do you believe yourself to be some sort of hero, Haruko?" she said softly. "And I suppose that would make Kamui and myself the 'bad guys', yes?"

Haruko shook his head. "This isn't 'cops' and 'robbers', Magi-san," he said. "More like 'Ishin Shishi' and 'Shinsengumi'." He pointed his staff at her. "We both fight for our ideals… our own ways that we believe are best for 'The World'. Our blades and spells determine 'right'… as much as 'right' can be determined."

Magi dashed forwards and smashed a blow across Haruko's face with her book. "Enough."

Haruko grit his teeth, and then froze in place instantly. Sora slammed his fist down on the desk. "Darn it… she froze my account…" he muttered. "Come on, Magi-san… you and I both deserve a fairer fight than that!"

Zefie smirked at the scene below her, and then leapt lightly from the wall, landing on Haruko's head like a ton of bricks. "Idiot," she said. "You stupid gaijin… Stop chatting with her and fight! This isn't an action manga!"

Haruko blinked, and whirled, swatting at her with the butt of his staff. "Hey!" he yelled. "What do you think you're doing, calling me a gaijin?"

Zefie smirked, leaping over his staff and kicking him in the head again. "Well, you can't hide that accent from me," she said. "Besides, you've got other things to be concerned over."

Haruko blinked, belatedly realizing that he could move again. He looked up at her. "You… unfroze my account?" he said.

Magi stared. "That's… impossible…" she said. "How…?"

Haruko turned to face her, as Zefie leapt to safety. "All right… let's go, Magi-san," he said.

Magi's book flew open. "My thoughts exactly," she said. "Gigan Don!"

A rain of rocks flew down at Haruko. He raised his staff, shielding himself from the worst of it, and then whirled, staff held high. "OrAni Zot!" he yelled in reply. A black portal opened under Magi's feet, and monstrous hell-creatures boiled up and attacked the defenseless Wavemaster.

Magi stumbled back and then glared at Haruko, pointing at Zefie. "What do you think you're doing, associating with an AI like that? You've seen what she's capable of; she could destabilize the entire system!"

Haruko darted forward and swung his staff down at her, and Magi brought up her book to block. "One simple reason," he said. "To me, she's alive. As long as she's harmed no one, I will not allow you to kill her." He whirled, and Magi blocked again, eliciting a smile. "Well, then… Vak Don!" he shouted, leaping back as fireballs rained down on her.

Magi smiled a little. "Rue Kruz!" she shouted, book open in her hands. A torrent of water surged up around her and met the fireballs, shielding her. "As for me… you already know why I fight," she said. "I will protect 'The World', and my mistress Kamui." She slammed her hand down on her book again. "And if need be, to do that, I will delete anyone… player or AI! Gigan Don!"

Haruko smiled broadly. "Well spoken," he said. He raised his staff, and a whirlwind rose around him, deflecting the rockfall from Magi's spell. Then he charged, staff swinging in a wide arc, and knocked Magi flying.

As she flew, she grit her teeth. "Take this! OrLei Zas!" she yelled, another orb of light crashing down. Haruko tried to block, but moved too late, and was sent flying in the other direction. Magi smiled as she landed lightly, and raised her grimoire again. "And now, UrAni Zot!" she shouted.

Haruko yelped as the portal opened under him and his body was pierced by monstrous creatures. He struggled to his feet and cast a quick Ol Repth. "Not… bad…" he said, panting.

Magi smirked. "You would be gone already if not for Kamui's business trip," she said.

Haruko laughed. "Well… I won't deny that…" he said.

Mirelle stared at the two combatants. "Man… she's good…" she whispered. "Even Haruko's having a hard time…"

Haruko raised his staff. "Let's even the odds, hmm?" he said. A small orb of light whizzed from his staff. Magi smirked and cast Ani Zot around herself, the light fizzling against the darkness.

Once the visual effects of the spells died away, Magi looked to Haruko, and blinked as she saw him standing just in front of her. "I win," he said, smiling, and thrust his staff into the air.

Magi blinked. "Wha…" Her words were cut off as another hurricane assaulted the area, lightning crackling around the two fighters as the winds cut through Magi.

Haruko smiled softly. "No hard feelings…" he said. "You and Kamui-san are two of the people I respect the most." He turned. "But as long as you try to save 'The World' in this way… the wrong way… you shall meet with 'Aku Soku Zan'."

Magi reached up a hand and seized his cloak. "It is you… who shall meet with death…" she growled. "UrLei Zas!"

Haruko, unable to move out of the way, found himself blasted through the air again, landing on a rooftop next to Zefie. She smirked. "Dummy gaijin," she said. "You talk too much, you take a hit that I dodged with ease, and now you turn your back on your opponent?"

Haruko glanced at her, and then laughed. "I guess I am," he said. "Well, don't worry, Zefie-chan… I'll still get you out of this." He got to his feet and smiled down at Magi. "We're both pretty torn up… how about a 30-second truce for healing?" he said.

Magi shook her head. "No… I don't need more HP than this to finish you…" she said.

Haruko laughed. "I truly have been underestimating you…" He crouched slightly. "Time to pull out all the stops. I'll face you now, as a player of 'The World', as a defender of Aura-sama…"

Magi cut him off, even as Zefie looked at him in surprise. "I don't care! You're done!" She thrust her hand forward, casting Lei Zas once again.

Haruko smiled, and suddenly flashed white as the orb came towards him. As the glow faded, Magi stared. "What…?"

Mirelle's eyes sparkled. "No way…"

Haruko smiled, sweeping his wings back and pointing his staff at her. "And… as a Descendant of Fianna!" he roared.

Magi grit her teeth. "You…"

Mirelle stared, practically bursting with excitement. "Those wings… they've gotta be! The legendary reward from that legendary event… The One Sin!" She giggled wildly. "Amazing… he really is a Descendant of Fianna, just like Balmung and Orca!"

Haruko smiled softly. "When I changed accounts, and reset my character, I carried one item over, and one only," he said, leaping lightly down. "These wings… the proof that I, as the twin blader Haruko, defeated the god of all event monsters." He smiled. "So… shall we finish?"

Magi nodded. "Final round…"

Haruko laughed and thrust his hand forward, energy surging out from it. "Indeed! OrZan Rom!" he yelled.

Magi smiled softly as the winds rose and tore at her. "And I as well! OrLei Zas!" She smiled, and then crumpled to her knees.

The orb flew out and struck Haruko through the chest, knocking him back but not down. He smiled softly. "Well done… Magi-san…" he said softly. Then a damage number flashed above his head, the last of his HP suddenly drained, and he fell hard on his back.

Magi sighed. "Well… at least I was able to take you down…"

Haruko smiled. "Yeah… tagging me with that poison spell was a good idea."

Magi blinked. "You knew?"

Haruko nodded. "Yep… I saw you there. When you grabbed my cloak, you hit me with a tarot card too, and poisoned me. That's why I fainted… if you hadn't, that last spell wouldn't have had enough strength to kill me."

Zefie leaped lightly down, smirking. "So, this means we win?" she said.

Magi sighed again. "Yes… it does…"

Haruko smiled. "You fought well, Magi-san," he said. "Kamui-san would be very proud of her protégé."

Magi smiled a little, nodded, and faded out. Zefie turned to Haruko and kicked him in the side. "So, what now?"

Haruko laughed. "Take the Chaos Gate," he said. "Hide out in the towns for a bit, keep out of sight, and look for someone named Shugo. He's had contact with your mommy… he'll be able to help you find her."

Zefie blinked, and then smiled gently. "Okay…" She patted Haruko's head. "Thanks… dummy gaijin." She turned and warped out. Haruko laughed, and faded out as well, leaving the field empty…

Almost, anyway. Mirelle smiled and stopped the recording as Magi faded out. "Wow… that's gonna be a keeper," she laughed. "I gotta show this to people…" She grinned and logged out.

--

About a week later, Sora sat at his computer, sighing a bit. A video call icon popped up and began flashing, and he clicked it. He blinked as Balmung appeared. "Oh… hey…" he said.

Balmung smiled. "I hear you got into a tangle with Kamui's bunch," he said.

Sora groaned. "Yeah… for which I ended up with a month-long ban." He shrugged. "Well… at least Zefie-chan got away…"

Balmung nodded. "Yes… She's safe and sound with Shugo's group at the moment, though Kamui's set her sights on them." He smiled. "You fought well… deserving of your title."

Sora blinked. "You saw?"

Balmung laughed. "Half of 'The World' has seen by this point, Haruko," he said. "The video's all over the place now."

Sora gulped. "Video?"

Balmung grinned. "Your little friend Mirelle was watching the whole time. She's been putting up a video of the whole battle." His eyes twinkled. "So, you fought a whole battalion, eh? Maybe I should have a rematch with you once you're off your ban…"

Sora smirked. "Anytime, Balmung-sama," he said.

Balmung nodded, and then smiled, rubbing his chin. "You know, after that display… I'm thinking it's about time we got you a title."

Sora blinked again. "Title? You mean… like yours?"

Balmung nodded. "You've got it. So, let's see…" He chuckled softly. "Well, I'm 'Azure Winds', so what should we give you…?"

Sora shook his head. "Nothing 'Azure'," he said firmly. "I'm not on your level."

Balmung pouted a little. "But 'Azure Winds' sounds so cool…" He nodded. "Well, then…"

Sora nodded. "Azure Winds… it sounds good, but I'm not good enough to bear it yet."

Balmung smiled softly. _Yes, you are, Haruko…_ "Well, then," he said aloud. "What would you prefer?"

Sora shrugged. "Well, what colors do people think of when they think of winds? Besides blue?"

Balmung scratched his head. "Green, I guess," he said. Then he blinked, and grinned. "Then, that's it," he said.

Sora smiled. "All right…" he said.

Balmung nodded and smiled, almost angelically. "From now on… you are Haruko of the Emerald Winds," he said.

Author's Notes: I know that the "counter" moves that Magi and Haruko use in their fight are a stretch, but I like the effect, both for the fight and in visual terms. Also, I know I almost certainly have the spell names wrong, but as I don't own a copy of the original four games, I can't check. If anybody knows the names of the spells I'm trying to use here, I'd appreciate it (and edit to fix my lame attempts, of course. :D) Anyway, I've decided to start posting Segment 4 once I've got the first five chapters done, and then weekly updates after that. I've already got 2 or 3 chapters written, so it shouldn't take too long.

Also, for those who don't know, the Ishin Shishi (also called patriots) and Shinsengumi were the two most famous and well-known groups who fought in the Bakumatsu revolution, which preceded the Meiji era and ushered in the change in government from shogunate to emperor. Haruko's line about the two groups echoes a sentiment of Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei's that I like and agree with; in the Bakumatsu, hundreds of different groups fought, and no single group was really "good" or "evil". Each person fought with their lives, to protect their beliefs and way of life.


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